Viswashkumar Ramesh, the lone survivor of the June 12 crash of Air India Flight AI171 in Ahmedabad, calls himself the 'luckiest man' but says he is suffering both physically and mentally. He lost his brother in the crash, has not spoken to his wife or son since, and is facing chronic pain and trauma while seeking proper support from the airline and authorities.

The crash and survival

On June 12 2025, Air India Flight AI171, a London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad, killing 241 people on board and 19 on the ground.

Viswashkumar Ramesh, a British national of Indian origin, was seated in seat 11A and miraculously walked away from the wreckage. 

His younger brother, Ajay, was just a few seats away and perished in the crash. Ramesh in an interview to BBC described his survival as a 'miracle' but said that the brother's death took all his happiness.

I met Vishwashkumar Ramesh, the man who miraculously survived the Air India plane crash on 12th June, here in the UK. Far from viewing his escape as a miracle, he feels totally abandoned in the UK with inadequate support or financial compensation. He is suffering from physical... twitter/Xzt0DOlFlV

- Naomi Canton (@naomi2009) November 3, 2025

The emotional toll and isolation

Despite surviving, Ramesh says he is broken inside. He told the BBC he stays alone in his home in Leicester, and has not spoken to his wife and four-year-old son since the tragedy He said, "I'm the only survivor. Still, I don't believe it. It's a miracle." He added, "I lost my brother as well. My brother is my backbone... Now I'm alone. I just sit in my room alone, not talking with my wife, my son."

His family has also suffered. His mother reportedly spends hours sitting outside his door, silent and unable to move on.

According to his cousin, Ramesh still wakes up in the night with flashbacks of the crash-site scenes and cannot sleep properly.

The physical injuries and health issues

Ramesh escaped with non-life-threatening but serious injuries. He says he suffers pain in his leg, shoulder, knee and back, and has not been able to work or drive since the crash. He described that his wife has to help him walk slowly and assist him in everyday tasks.

He also has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) but reportedly has not received consistent follow-up treatment after returning to the UK.

The collapse of livelihood

Before the crash, Ramesh and his brother ran a fishing business in Diu, India. That business has collapsed since Ajay's death and the aftermath of the crash, leaving the extended family with no steady income.

His advisers say the interim compensation offered by Air India, about £21,500, is not enough to cover his needs, given his inability to work, his medical and mental health needs, and the loss of family income.

The call for accountability and support

Ramesh's legal and community advisers, including Sanjiv Patel and Radd Seiger, are pressing for more than just a compensation cheque. They are calling on Air India's senior leadership to meet Ramesh and his family personally and listen to their suffering.

They argue that bureaucracy and standard compensation processes are insufficient for someone in Ramesh's situation, the only survivor of a massive disaster. Air India, owned by the Tata Group, has stated that senior leaders continue to visit families and an offer has been made to Ramesh's representatives for a meeting. They say care for him and all affected families remains "our absolute priority."

Why Air India plane crash survivor's tragic story is extreme

Survivor's guilt and trauma:Ramesh's case is extreme, he survived when everyone else on board didn't, and he must carry the physical and emotional scars.

Mental health crisis: His isolation and inability to communicate with his family show how devastating the human cost is, beyond the headline numbers.

Corporate responsibility: The story raises questions about how airlines and governments respond to the needs of survivors and victims' families after major disasters.

Air safety implications: While Ramesh's personal tale is the human side, the crash itself has broader implications for aviation safety, investigations and regulatory oversight.

Investigations into the causes of the crash are ongoing. Preliminary reports suggest the fuel supply to the engines was cut off seconds after take-off. 

Ramesh and his advisers will likely pursue further support for his long-term medical, psychological and financial needs. The involvement of Air India's leadership and the airline's response will be watched carefully. In the short term, Ramesh's recovery will be slow, dealing with both his physical injuries and the deep emotional trauma of losing his brother, his livelihood and being alone with the weight of being the only survivor.

The miracle at a cost

Viswashkumar Ramesh walked away from one of the worst aviation disasters in recent memory, an outcome he calls a 'miracle'. Yet the miracle has come at a tremendous cost. He continues to carry the weight of survival, the loss of a brother, a broken business, and an ongoing battle with pain and trauma. He may have escaped the wreckage, but he remains trapped in its aftermath. His story reminds us that surviving isn't just about being alive, it is about having the support, care and dignity to rebuild a life that calamity has torn apart.

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