Man Walks Out Of Crashed Air India Plane: Did Last-Minute Seat Switch Save Ramesh Viswashkumar?

An Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner operating as Flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick crashed shortly after takeoff on Thursday. The aircraft, carrying 242 passengers and crew, plummeted to the ground near the residential quarters of a medical college in Ahmedabad. Initial reports from various news outlets and officials confirmed devastating loss of life, with very few survivors.

Amid the grim recovery efforts and the sombre news of widespread casualties, reports emerged that one individual, Ramesh Viswashkumar, aged around 40, miraculously survived the crash. News18 has found that in the flight manifest, Ramesh is marked against seat 11J, though his boarding pass says 11A. The question then is, did a last-minute seat change lead to his miraculous escape?

Details surrounding Ramesh Viswashkumar’s survival are still emerging and are, understandably, scarce. However, initial police statements confirmed that Ramesh Viswashkumar was found in seat 11A of the aircraft. He was reportedly among the very few individuals who showed signs of life amid the wreckage.

Currently being treated at Civil Hospital, Asarwa in Ahmedabad, Vishwash is said to have sustained injuries to his chest, eyes and feet. He had been visiting family in India and was returning to the UK along with his brother, Ajay Kumar Ramesh, whose status remains unknown. The fact that he is the sole reported survivor out of 242 people on board makes his survival nothing short of a miracle, a testament to sheer chance in the face of overwhelming destruction.

The crash site, a densely populated area, added to the complexity of the disaster, with officials also confirming casualties among residents on the ground as the aircraft impacted buildings, including potentially a medical college hostel. Rescue workers faced immense challenges in the charred wreckage, battling ongoing fires and working to recover bodies.

The investigation into the cause of the crash, which marks the first hull loss of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, has been launched by Indian authorities, with support from international agencies.