On June 12, 2025, the city of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, witnessed a tragedy that would reverberate across continents. Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner bound for London, crashed into a building just after takeoff, killing 241 people on board and 19 more on the ground. Among the devastation, a single story of survival emerged—one that is both miraculous and heartbreaking.
Viswashkumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old Briton from Leicester, was the only passenger to walk away from the wreckage. Seated in the now-notorious seat 11a, right next to an emergency exit, Ramesh managed to escape the burning fuselage. But his survival came at a terrible cost: his younger brother, Ajaykumar, seated elsewhere on the plane, was among the victims. The loss has left Ramesh and his family shattered, both emotionally and financially.
In interviews with Sky News and other outlets, Ramesh has struggled to articulate the depth of his trauma. Sometimes, words fail him altogether. "It's very painful talking about the plane," he said softly, pausing for long stretches as he tried to recall the events of that day. The memory of waking up amid the carnage—"there were bodies all around me"—still haunts him, and months later, he remains unable to process the full scope of his loss. "I just think about my brother," he admitted. "For me, he was everything."
Ramesh’s ordeal did not end with his escape. He suffers from persistent physical injuries—knee, shoulder, and back pain, as well as burns to his left arm—that require his wife’s assistance even for basic tasks like showering. He lives with his wife and four-year-old son, Divang, in Leicester. But the trauma has driven a wedge between him and his family. "I'm not talking properly with my son," he confessed to Sophy Ridge on Mornings with Ridge and Frost. When asked if Divang comes to his room, Ramesh simply shook his head, eyes downcast. His wife and son, who might have been sources of comfort, are now reminders of the life that has been upended.
Ramesh’s emotional isolation is matched by his financial hardship. He and Ajaykumar had poured all their savings into a fishing business in India, a venture that required frequent travel between the UK and India. The crash not only claimed Ajaykumar’s life but also brought the business to a halt, leaving their extended family in both countries without income. According to Sanjiv Patel, a Leicester community leader who has been supporting the family, this has created an "existential threat" for them.
Air India, through its parent company Tata Group, offered Ramesh a one-off interim compensation payment of £21,500, which he accepted. However, his advisers and family insist that this sum is nowhere near sufficient. Radd Seiger, Ramesh’s spokesperson, told Sky News: "It doesn't even touch the sides when it comes to everything Mr. Ramesh needs while he is unable to work or leave his home—from help with transporting his son to school, to food, to medical and psychiatric support." Both Patel and Seiger have criticized the airline for treating Ramesh as "a name on a spreadsheet," rather than as a person whose life has been irrevocably altered.
They are calling for more than just financial redress. Their demands include comprehensive medical and psychiatric support, as well as a personal meeting with Air India’s CEO, Campbell Wilson. "Meet the people. Understand what they're going through," Patel urged. "Relying on bureaucratic machinery to deal with real lives—how lives have been destroyed, and not just the immediate family, but extended families too."
Air India, for its part, has stated that supporting Ramesh and all affected families is its "absolute priority." In a statement to Sky News, a spokesperson said, "Senior leaders from across Tata Group continue to visit families to express their deepest condolences. An offer has been made to Mr. Ramesh's representatives to arrange such a meeting, we will continue to reach out and we very much hope to receive a positive response." The company reiterated its commitment to providing "support, compassion, and care" during this "incredibly difficult time."
The crash’s impact has extended beyond the Ramesh family and Air India. The UK government reportedly stopped Ramesh’s family’s Universal Credit after they traveled to India following the disaster. According to government policy, those receiving Universal Credit can continue to do so for up to two months if a close relative dies while abroad. Patel and Seiger have appealed to Prime Minister Keir Starmer to look into the family’s circumstances and to pressure Air India to do more. Patel put it bluntly: "Take action today. If this was your family, what would you do?" The Department for Work and Pensions told Sky News: "Our policy ensures people travelling abroad due to a bereavement can continue receiving Universal Credit for up to two months... People can make a new claim once they return to the UK. This approach strikes a balance between our commitment to ensuring people get the support they need and our duty to the taxpayer."
The trauma of the crash has left Ramesh unable to sleep, plagued by flashbacks. In a statement prepared with his advisers, he said, "I get flashbacks all the time, I just stay awake, I sleep maybe three to four hours. Yes, it's a miracle I survived, but I lost everything, I lost my brother, I'm broken." The pain is compounded by the feeling that the airline is not living up to its promises. "Air India promised to treat them as family, but four months on, I can tell you, they are failing," Patel said. "The families have been dignified in their grief, but they've been treated like a name on a spreadsheet, where's the personal care?"
Questions remain about the cause of the crash. A preliminary investigation by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau found that both of the plane’s fuel switches moved to the "cut-off" position immediately after takeoff, stopping fuel supply to the engines. This has raised suspicions about whether the crash was deliberate, though the final conclusions have yet to be made public.
For Ramesh, the struggle is ongoing. He wears a New York Yankees cap in memory of Ajaykumar, who wore an identical one on the flight. The cap is a small token of remembrance, but the void left by his brother’s absence is immense. "My brother was my strength; he was my everything. And now? We're broken, I don't feel like talking to anyone." Surrounded by family, friends, and advisers, Ramesh continues to grapple with a reality that feels both miraculous and unbearably cruel.
As the months pass, the calls for accountability and compassion grow louder. The story of Viswashkumar Ramesh is a stark reminder that survival, while extraordinary, can come with a burden almost too heavy to bear.
