Coincidences That Saved the Sole Survivor of Air India Crash in Ahmedabad
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In a tragic crash on June 12, 2025, Air India Flight AI‑171, a Boeing 787‑8 Dreamliner, crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, colliding with a students’ hostel at B.J. Medical College. Of the 242 onboard and many more on the ground, only one person survived—British-Indian passenger Vishwash Kumar Ramesh. His survival is attributed to an extraordinary convergence of chance events.
Ramesh, seated in seat 11A, was extraordinarily fortunate. That row was adjacent to an emergency exit and near the aircraft’s “wing box,” a structurally reinforced section of the fuselage. During the violent breakup of the aircraft, this area remained relatively intact—creating the crucial space he needed to unbuckle his seatbelt and crawl out before fuel ignited. He sustained burns and bruises but managed to stumble clear of the wreckage.
His proximity to the emergency door—a panel reportedly blown off upon impact—may have been another lifesaving factor. The opened exit enabled him to flee moments before the main fireball engulfed the fuselage. Tragically, his brother Ajay, seated just across the aisle, did not share this fortune.
Experts underscore how rare such survivals are: the crash claimed 241 lives onboard and over 30 more on the ground in the hostel. Aviation analysts describe Ramesh’s escape as a “miracle,” shaped by the “miraculous alignment” of seat location, structural protection, and the split-second opportunity to act.
As investigations by India’s AAIB (with UK and U.S. experts) continue, Ramesh remains hospitalized in Ahmedabad. His survival stands as a poignant testament to the unpredictable nature of such disasters—and the thin line between life and death.
