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Air India Crash Survivor: ‘I Don’t Know How I Am Alive’

The New York Times's profile
Original Story by The New York Times
June 13, 2025
Air India Crash Survivor: ‘I Don’t Know How I Am Alive’

Context:

Viswash Kumar Ramesh, a 38-year-old passenger of Air India Flight 171, miraculously survived a plane crash that killed 241 others, including his brother Ajay, shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad. Stunned and disoriented, Viswash managed to call his family in Leicester, England, informing them of the crash and expressing disbelief at his survival. His family home became a place of mixed emotions, with mourning for Ajay and astonishment at Viswash's survival. A doctor in India confirmed Viswash's condition, noting multiple injuries but no immediate danger to his life. Despite his survival, Viswash was deeply affected by the loss of his brother and the other passengers, as he was the only one to escape the wreckage alive.

Dive Deeper:

  • Viswash Kumar Ramesh, the sole survivor of the Air India Flight 171 crash, contacted his family in Britain shortly after the accident, expressing his disbelief at being alive while his brother Ajay and the other passengers perished.

  • The crash occurred shortly after the Boeing 787 Dreamliner took off from Ahmedabad, resulting in the deaths of 241 people, with Viswash being the only person to escape the wreckage unharmed.

  • Outside the Ramesh family home in Leicester, England, the atmosphere was one of both mourning and amazement, as family members and friends grappled with the loss of Ajay and the miraculous survival of Viswash.

  • A doctor who examined Viswash in India reported that he was disoriented and had sustained multiple injuries, but was not in immediate danger, and he was advised to remain on bed rest at the hospital.

  • Despite the relief of being alive, Viswash was in shock and troubled by the fact that he could not see his brother or any other passengers, highlighting the emotional turmoil he faced amidst his survival.

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