AHMEDABAD — Viswashkumar Ramesh, the sole survivor of the Air India Flight 171 crash that killed 241 people on board and 19 on the ground, has spoken about his escape and ongoing trauma as the one-year anniversary of the disaster approached on June 12, 2026.
The London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on June 12, 2025, striking a medical college building. Ramesh, a British national seated in 11A near an emergency exit, walked away from the wreckage with injuries.
In interviews shortly after the crash, Ramesh described unbuckling his seatbelt and escaping through a broken emergency exit after realizing he was alive. “I don’t believe how I survived. For some time I thought I was also going to die,” he told Indian state broadcaster DD News from his hospital bed. “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.”
His younger brother, Ajay, who was seated nearby, perished in the crash along with all other passengers and crew. Ramesh has described the loss as having taken “all my happiness,” with lasting physical injuries and significant psychological scars.
A preliminary report by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau indicated that both engine fuel switches moved to the cutoff position shortly after liftoff, leading to pilot confusion recorded on the cockpit voice recorder. The final investigation report, which includes analysis of the black boxes and ongoing U.S. engine examination, has not yet been released as of the anniversary.
Air India observed a two-minute silence at airports nationwide on June 12, 2026, to mark the anniversary. Families of the victims have continued to seek answers and support, with some expressing frustration over the pace of the investigation.
Ramesh, in a statement marking the anniversary, called for “honesty, transparency and answers” regarding the cause of the crash. He has spoken of the burden of being the sole survivor and the challenges of daily life after the tragedy.
Details on the timeline for the release of the final investigation report or any new safety recommendations remain unclear. Air India and Indian aviation authorities have not issued additional statements beyond the anniversary observances.
