An aviation expert has explained why he thinks that the man who was sat in seat 11A was the only passenger to survive the devastating Air India crash, which took place Thursday morning (12 June).

The crash tragically killed 241 of the 242 people on board, leaving British passenger Vishwash Kumar Ramesh as the sole survivor.

Shortly after the crash, which took place just moments after takeoff in Ahmedabad, western India, Ramesh spoke to the Hindustan Times about the moment the plane went down, claiming to have heard a ‘loud noise’ around 30 seconds after the plane, which was headed to London’s Gatwick Airport, left the ground.

“It all happened so quickly,” he recalled, revealing he’d sustained ‘impact injuries’ on his chest, eyes and feet.

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“When I got up, there were bodies all around me. I was scared. I stood up and ran,” he continued. “There were pieces of the plane all around me.

241 of the 242 people on board an Air India flight tragically lost their lives on Thursday (12 June) (SAM PANTHAKY / Contributor / Getty Images)

“Someone grabbed hold of me and put me in an ambulance and brought me to the hospital.”

His family also spoke about Ramesh’s ordeal, with his brother in Leicester telling the BBC that he had ‘no idea’ how he escaped the plane.

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Ramesh has since spoken to press again today (13 June) – as per Metro – providing further detail about the moment the plane plummeted.

“When the flight took off, within five to 10 seconds it felt like it was stuck in the air,” he went on to explain. “Suddenly, the lights started flickering – green and white – then the plane rammed into some establishment that was there.”

Reflecting on his survival, Ramesh went on to recall: “When I saw the exit, I thought I could come out. I tried, and I did.

“Maybe the people who were on the other side of the plane weren’t able to.”

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He went on to admit he ‘doesn’t know how’ he was able to make it out alive.

“I saw people dying in front of my eyes – the air hostesses, and two people I saw near me,” Ramesh continued. “I walked out of the rubble.”

Aviation analyst, Guy Leitch, has since shared why he thinks seat 11A was different.

“The word miracle is the word that comes to mind,” he told GB News, before adding: “My take on it is, the seat 11A was thrown clear of the wreckage as it actually broke up.

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An aviation expert has since revealed why he thinks Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, who was sat in seat 11A, was the only passenger to survive the tragic crash (Hindustan Times / Contributor / Getty Images)

“I think that’s the only way he survived the fireball. He had to have been away from it.”

Leitch went on to states that that was ‘probably how he picked up his facial and chest injuries’, noting: “The Boeing 787 had a different breakup structure in the way it actually broke up when it hit this building.

“That’s why we’re seeing so many ground fatalities added to the total.”

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The expert did, explain, however that the rear of the aircraft is ‘generally still considered the safest part of the aircraft’, which is why the black boxes, which are actually orange, are often located there.

When shown distressing images of the plane falling from the sky, Leitch responded: “It’s way too early to speculate as to why it went down.

“We’re hoping to see data from the recorder but some have suggested the flaps were retracted and they were slower than stalling speed.”

He speculated that it was ‘possible’ the flaps were retracted early and the aircraft was not able to sustain its flying rate, however, he added: “It remains to be pure speculation.”

Miracle of seat 11A as singer survived fatal plane crash in exact same position

Ruangsak Loychusak, 47, from Thailand, survived a deadly crash in 1998 after sitting in seat 11A. Much like Air India survivor, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, who was also sat in the same position

Ruangsak Loychusak says he had ‘goosebumps’ after discovering the news (Image: Asia Pacific Press via ViralPress )

A Thai popstar has revealed how he survived a plane crash in 1998 and was sitting in the same seat as Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, who miraculously made it out alive of the Air India disaster this week. Ruangsak Loychusak, 47, shared his eerie survival of the crash which killed 101 passengers on the Thai Airways flight TG261.

He had set off from Bangkok to Surat Thani when it plummeted into a swamp. Although he no longer has his ticket, old news reports documented his brush with death at the time. Altogether, 101 out of 132 passengers and 14 crew members had died. 45 injuries were recorded after the catastrophe.

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Air India flight forced into emergency landing hours after disaster crash kills over 240 READ MORE:

Ruangsak Loychusak has opened up about his plane crash ordeal (Image: Asia Pacific Press via ViralPress )

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After hearing about the unlikely news of the seat number, Ruangsak said he had “goosebumps”. He stated: “The lone survivor of the plane crash in India was sitting in the same seat number as me, 11A. I want to offer my condolences to all those who lost loved ones in the tragedy.”

He added that nightmares of the crash plagued his life for a decade and said he suffered from breathing issues after the incident. “I had difficulty flying for 10 years after the crash. I would struggled breathing, even though the air circulation was normal.

“I avoided speaking to anyone and always stared outside the window, blocking anyone from closing it to maintain my sense of safety.

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The aftermath of the deadly crash in Thailand (Image: AFP via Getty Images )

“If I saw dark clouds or a rainstorm outside, I would feel terrible, like I was in hell. I can still remember the sounds, smells, and even the taste of the water in the swamp the plane crashed into. For a long time, I would keep the feelings to myself.”

Over 20 years later, Ramesh survived a crash under similar circumstances and was also sat in seat 11A. Explaining how the disaster unfolded, he told DD News: “When the flight took off, within five to 10 seconds it felt like it was stuck in the air.

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“Suddenly, the lights started flickering – green and white. The aircraft wasn’t gaining altitude and was just gliding before it suddenly slammed into a building and exploded.”

He added: “At first, I thought I was dead. Later, I realised I was still alive and saw an opening in the fuselage. I managed to unbuckle myself, used my leg to push through that opening, and crawled out.”

Ramesh has been hospitalised since the crash (Image: NARENDRA MODI YOUTUBE CHANNEL/AF )

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It comes as the sole survivor of the Air India Flight 171 disaster revealed the horror moment before the plane erupted into a fireball near Ahmedabad Airport in western India during a shock crash. The plane, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft, was carrying 242 people bound for Gatwick Airport when it crashed into a college in a residential area on Thursday.

British passenger Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, the sole survivor has told how the lights “started flickering” before the aircraft hit the ground. The 40-year-old told the Hindustan Times: “When the flight took off, within five to 10 seconds it felt like it was stuck in the air.

“Suddenly, the lights started flickering – green and white – then the plane rammed into some establishment that was there.”

Air India Plane Crash: Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, the sole British survivor of the London-bound Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crash, has shared a chilling account of the disaster from his hospital bed.

Speaking to DD News on Friday, the 40-year-old Vishwash Kumar Ramesh described the moment the plane “felt stuck in the air” for 5-10 seconds after take-off, followed by flickering green and white lights. “The aircraft wasn’t gaining altitude and was just gliding before it suddenly slammed into a building and exploded.” he said.

Seated in 11A, next to an emergency exit, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh said he initially believed he had died but managed to unbuckle himself and crawl through an opening in the fuselage to escape the wreckage.

“I saw people dying in front of my eyes – the air hostesses, and two people near me… I walked out of the rubble,” he said, still in disbelief over his survival.

“For a moment, I felt like I was going to die too. “But when I opened my eyes and looked around, I realised I was alive. I still can’t believe how I survived.” the lone survivor of the Air India plane crash said.

Air India Plane Crash aftermath and official response The Boeing 787 Dreamliner Air India plane crashed into a medical college in Ahmedabad on Thursday, killing the other 241 people on board.

The tragedy is one of the deadliest involving British nationals and marks the first fatal accident of a 787 aircraft.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the crash site on Friday and spoke with the lone survivor of the Air India plane crash, Ramesh, in hospital.

Investigations into the cause of the crash of the London-bound Air India plane are ongoing, with aviation experts considering possibilities such as dual engine failure or incorrect flap settings during take-off.

Tata Group’s Efforts Post Air India Plane Crash Air India’s parent company, Tata Group, has pledged financial support of ₹1 crore to each bereaved family and will cover medical expenses for the injured.

Air India chief executive Campbell Wilson visited the area, according to the BBC, but did not take questions from media.

An Air India flight that was scheduled to depart from Gatwick to Ahmedabad on Friday at 8.30pm has been cancelled.

Air India has set up friends and relatives assistance centres at Gatwick, Mumbai, Delhi and Ahmedabad airports to provide support in the wake of AI171’s crash.

UK officials are being deployed to India to support the investigation, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said.

A tail of an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner plane that crashed is seen stuck on a building after the incident in Ahmedabad, India, June 12, 2025. REUTERS/Amit Dave Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab

Item 1 of 3 A tail of an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner plane that crashed is seen stuck on a building after the incident in Ahmedabad, India, June 12, 2025. REUTERS/Amit Dave

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Companies Escape hailed as “miracle of seat 11A” in the media

More than 240 people killed in the crash

Hospital official says survivor is shaken by the trauma

NEW DELHI, June 13 (Reuters) – The sole survivor of the Air India plane crash that killed more than 240 people said on Friday he hardly believed he was alive as he recounted seeing others dying near him as he escaped out of a broken emergency exit.

Ramesh Viswashkumar, who police said was in seat 11A near the emergency exit and managed to squeeze through the broken hatch, was filmed after Thursday’s crash limping on the street in a blood-stained T-shirt with bruises on his face.

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That social media footage of Viswashkumar, a British national of Indian origin, has been broadcast across India’s news channels since the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner erupted in a ball of fire after it plummeted onto a medical college hostel moments after taking off from Ahmedabad.

It was the worst aviation disaster in a decade and his escape is being hailed as the “miracle of seat 11A” in the British media.

“I don’t believe how I survived. For some time I thought I was also going to die,” 40-year-old Viswashkumar told Indian state broadcaster DD News from his hospital bed on Friday.

“But when I opened my eyes, I realised I was alive and I tried to unbuckle myself from the seat and escape from where I could. It was in front of my eyes that the air hostess and others (died).”

He was travelling with his brother Ajay, who had been seated in a different row, members of his family have said.

“The side of the plane I was in landed on the ground, and I could see that there was space outside the aircraft, so when my door broke I tried to escape through it and I did,” Viswashkumar said.

“The opposite side of the aircraft was blocked by the building wall so nobody could have come out of there.”

Viswashkumar suffered burns and bruises and has been kept under observation, an official at the Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad told Reuters by phone, requesting anonymity.

“His escape … and without any grievous injury, was nothing short of a miracle. He also realises that and is a bit shaken by the trauma of it too,” the official said.

FAMILY HEARTBROKEN OVER BROTHER

Police said some people at the hostel and others on the ground were also killed in the crash. Rescue workers were searching for missing people and aircraft parts in the charred buildings of the hostel on Friday to help find the cause of the crash.

Air India has said the investigation will take time. Planemaker Boeing has said a team of experts is ready to go to India to help in the probe.

Viswashkumar said the plane seemed to come to a standstill in midair for a few seconds shortly after take-off and the green and white cabin lights were turned on.

He said he could feel the engine thrust increasing but then the plane “crashed with speed into the hostel”.

At the family home in Leicester, central England, Viswashkumar’s cousin Hiren Kantilal said they had spoken with him via video call that morning and relatives were urgently trying to make arrangements to travel to India.

Asked about Viswashkumar’s brother, Kantilal said: “We can’t describe in the words, we are totally heartbroken.”

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived in his home state of Gujarat to visit the crash site, met Viswashkumar in hospital on Friday.

Reporting by Shivam Patel in New Delhi; Additional reporting by Phil Noble in Leicester; Editing by Saad Sayeed and Alison Williams

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Vishwaskumar Ramesh, the only survivor of the Air India plane crash headed to the United Kingdom from Ahmedabad, India, that left all 241 other passengers and crew dead, along with five more on the ground, said he “thought I would die” as he recovers in the hospital a day after the tragedy.

“Everything happened in front of my eyes. I thought I would die,” Ramesh told NDTV in an exclusive interview on Friday. “The side where I was seated fell into the ground floor of the building. There was some space. When the door broke, I saw that space and I just jumped out.”

“The door must’ve broken on impact,” Ramesh continued. “There was a wall on the opposite side, but near me, it was open. I ran. I don’t know how. I don’t know how I came out of it alive. For a while, I thought I was about to die. But when I opened my eyes, I saw I was alive, and I opened my seat belt and got out of there. The airhostess … died before my eyes.”

Describing his escape, he explained, “The emergency door was broken. My seat was broken. Then I saw the space—just a little bit—then I tried to come out.” He added that the aircraft had caught fire shortly before he managed to exit. “Yes, okay, a little bit of fire. After I came out, then the blast.”

The survivor also mentioned a brief interaction with the Prime Minister during a hospital visit. “Just asked me if everything is okay. That’s it,” he said.

When asked about his family, he stated, “Me and my brother are staying in India… for the last eight, maybe nine months. And yesterday I was going back to London. Then everything happened…”

Still processing the catastrophe, he remarked, “I can’t explain. It’s a miracle… everything.”

Speaking about the crash, he recalled the immediate moments after takeoff: “Yes, within 1 minute after takeoff—suddenly, in 5–10 seconds, it felt like the aircraft got stuck. Then I felt like something was wrong. The lights in the plane turned green and white. Maybe the plane was trying to gain more speed—then at high speed, it went straight into…”

Detailing his narrow escape, he said, “No, I think the side I was on didn’t land on the hostel. The ground floor of the hostel is where the plane hit. There was a little space outside the plane, and after the door broke, I saw that space, so I tried to get out.”

He explained that the opposite side of the aircraft had sustained the full impact. “The opposite side of the building had a wall, so I don’t think anyone from that side could have made it out—because that’s where the full impact happened.”

Confirming the extent of his injuries, he noted, “When the fire started, my left hand also got burned a little. Then the ambulance picked me up and brought me here to the hospital.”

Speaking about his current condition, he added, “The treatment is very good. The people here are very supportive. They are treating me very well.”

The Air India airliner carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew members was en route to the United Kingdom and crashed into a building shortly after takeoff on Thursday, leaving 246 dead, officials said.

The victims include 241 passengers and crew members as well as five medical students who were inside the medical college and hospital the aircraft crashed into, according to hospital officials. Many others inside the building were injured — some seriously — and are receiving treatment.

Ramesh’s brother, Nayankumar Ramesh, called his brother’s survival a “miracle.” He said, “Our plane crashed, I don’t know where my brother is. I don’t see any other passengers. I don’t know how I’m alive, how I exited the plane.” He added, “Just hearing about the crash, I’m scared to fly now, to even stay on a plane.”

The plane, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed in the Meghaninagar area near Ahmedabad airport, in India’s Gujarat state, the city’s Police Commissioner G.S. Malik said Thursday. Boeing’s Dreamliner planes had not previously been involved in an incident with passenger fatalities reported. This plane had more than 41,000 hours of flying time, considered average for this aircraft, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.

“Our deepest condolences go out to the loved ones of the passengers and crew on board Air India Flight 171, as well as everyone affected in Ahmedabad. I have spoken with Air India Chairman N. Chandrasekaran to offer our full support, and a Boeing team stands ready to support the investigation led by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau,” Boeing President and CEO Kelly Ortberg said in a statement.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a statement that he’d been in touch with local officials after the crash. “The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us. It is heartbreaking beyond words. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected by it.”

–With Agencies Inputs–