The Seat 11A Mystery: How Lone Survivor Of Air India Crash Cheated Death
Ahmedabad, India — In a tragedy that has shaken the nation and stunned the world, only one person emerged alive from the wreckage of Air India flight AI-171, which crashed seconds after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday.
That sole survivor is Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old British-Indian businessman based in the UK. Seated in seat 11A aboard the ill-fated Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, Ramesh lived through the horror while 241 others including his own brother lost their lives.
The Crash: What Happened to Air India Flight AI-171?
At 1:38 PM IST, the Dreamliner departed for London Gatwick. Within seconds, air traffic control logs captured a Mayday call. The aircraft reportedly experienced abnormal engine noise and nose-dived into a multi-storey hostel in Ahmedabad’s Meghaninagar area, housing medical students.
- Casualties: 229 passengers, 12 crew, and 5 residents on the ground.
- Pilots: Captain Sumeet Sabharwal (8,200 flight hours) and First Officer Clive Kundar (1,100 hours).
How One Man Survived: The Miracle of Seat 11A
Seat 11A, located in the first row of economy, just behind business class and near a left-side exit, proved to be a life-saving position. When the front-left section of the aircraft struck the ground floor of the building not the upper levels where most damage occurred it created a narrow path to escape.
“The side where I was seated fell into the ground floor,” said Mr. Ramesh. “There was some space… I just jumped out.”
Photos confirm the forward fuselage partially detached, reducing the impact where he was seated. Meanwhile, the opposite side was crushed and consumed by fire.
“I don’t know how I survived. Everyone else the air hostess, uncle, aunty died right in front of me,” Ramesh told Doordarshan.
Exclusive Details: PM Modi Visits Survivor
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Mr. Ramesh at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, where he is being treated in Ward B7, Bed 11, under tight security by the Gujarat ATS and City Crime Branch.
“He asked me what happened. I told him I don’t know how I lived,” Ramesh said.
His story, though miraculous, is tinged with grief. His brother, seated across the aisle in 11J, did not survive.
A Rare Aviation Miracle: Lone Survivor in a Major Air Crash
Vishwash Ramesh joins a short, haunting list of sole survivors in aviation history:
- 1987: Cecelia Cichan, age 4, survived the Northwest Airlines Flight 255 crash.
- 2009: Bahia Bakari, age 12, survived Yemenia Flight 626 near the Comoros.
- 2006: Jim Polehinke, co-pilot, survived the Comair crash in Kentucky.
Each of these cases, like Ramesh’s, defies logic and leaves behind questions, grief, and a fragile sense of fate.
Final Thoughts
The crash of Air India AI-171 is being investigated by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and global aviation authorities. Questions remain around mechanical failure, possible pilot error, and structural integrity.
But for now, India mourns a historic loss and marvels at the man in Seat 11A, who walked out of fire and rubble while the world watched in disbelief.
