“Every Day Is Painful”: Air India Crash Survivor Vishwas Kumar Ramesh Shares His Emotional Trauma, Seeks Long-Term Welfare Aid

In a heart-wrenching account shared with BBC News, Vishwas Kumar Ramesh, the sole survivor of the Air India plane crash that killed 241 people, opened up about the unbearable emotional, physical, and financial suffering he continues to endure months after the tragedy.

A Miracle Escape From the Flames

The London-bound Air India Flight AI-171 crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad, bursting into flames and killing 241 on board—except Vishwas Kumar Ramesh. Videos of him walking away from the wreckage with minor visible injuries stunned the world and were hailed as proof of a “miracle.”

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A passenger on seat 11A survived the Air India crash.

He's a British national called Vishwash Kumar Ramesh. pic.twitter.com/xctfVBuPA4

— Mukhtar (@I_amMukhtar) June 12, 2025 >

Speaking to BBC News, an emotional Ramesh said, “I’m the only one who survived. Still, I can’t believe it. It’s a miracle. I lost my brother as well. My brother is my backbone — he was always supporting me.”

Living With Loss and Loneliness

Since returning to his home in Leicester, UK, Ramesh has been battling post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and severe depression. According to his advisers, he has withdrawn completely from his family, including his wife and four-year-old son.

“Now I’m alone,” he told BBC. “I just sit in my room, not talking with my wife or my son. I just like to be alone.”

His advisers, Sanjiv Patel and Radd Seiger, said Ramesh’s emotional trauma has been compounded by physical injuries that continue to affect his mobility. He suffers chronic pain in his leg, shoulder, knee, and back, and has been unable to work or drive since the crash.

“When I walk, not walk properly — slowly, slowly, my wife help,” he said.

A Family in Crisis

The psychological impact of the tragedy has devastated Ramesh’s entire family. His mother, still mourning the loss of her younger son Ajay, reportedly spends her days in silence. “My mum last four months, she is sitting every day outside the door, not talking, nothing,” he said, describing his family’s pain.

"Every day is painful for the whole family," he said.

His advisers say Ramesh was diagnosed with PTSD while hospitalized in India but has not received any further treatment since his return to the UK. They described him as “lost and broken,” saying the family is in mental, physical, and financial crisis.

Financial Struggles and Call for Justice

Before the crash, Vishwas and his late brother Ajay ran a family fishing business in Diu, which has now completely collapsed. Air India has reportedly offered Ramesh an interim compensation of £21,500, which he accepted, but his advisers argue it is nowhere near enough to cover his immediate and long-term needs.

“They’re in crisis — mentally, physically, financially,” said community leader Sanjiv Patel. “It's devastated his family. Whoever's responsible at the highest level should be on the ground meeting the victims of this tragic event, and understanding their needs and to be heard.”

Family spokesman Radd Seiger added that they had invited Air India executives for a meeting three times, but all their requests were either ignored or declined.

“These interviews are our fourth appeal,” Seiger told BBC, urging the airline to step forward and support Ramesh’s recovery.