In a tragedy that claimed the lives of 241 of the 242 aboard Air India Flight AI171, one man survived against all odds. British passenger Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 38, is now the focus of hope and intense scrutiny, providing the first human connection to the tragedy.

How Vishwash Kumar Ramesh Survived The Air India Crash

Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, seated in emergency exit row 11A, escaped what has been described as a virtually unsurvivable crash. He’s conscious, sharing critical details with medical and investigative teams as he recovers from significant injuries.

Ramesh later described the moment of impact: “Thirty seconds after take‑off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed…it all happened so quickly. When I got up, there were bodies all around me. I stood up and ran…”

His location in the emergency exit row may have allowed him to exit the aircraft quickly, though he remains in critical but stable condition in an Ahmedabad hospital. Doctors report multiple fractures and chest trauma, but he is breathing independently.

Investigators are planning to interview Ramesh as soon as he’s able, hoping his testimony fills gaps left by damaged flight recorders. His account, combined with cockpit voice recorder and radar data, could provide key insights into the aircraft’s rapid loss of altitude.

His survival is being described by aviation experts as “one-in-a-billion.” From a structural standpoint, it’s believed that the forward fuselage’s breakup happened in such a way that the section around 11A remained partly intact long enough to allow escape.

Authorities from India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, the UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), Boeing, General Electric, and the NTSB are all engaged. Ramesh’s debrief will provide an important piece of a complex investigative puzzle.

CONCLUSION

Amid devastation, Ramesh’s survival offers a small glimmer of hope on a day of horrible tragedy. I find it amazing that he just walked off the plane unassisted. Hopefully, he will make a full recovery, and we’ll see if he is able to offer any further insight into what may have prompted this crash.