Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, the only survivor of the Air India Flight 171 crash in Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025, has opened up about the immense mental and physical challenges he has faced since the disaster.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed shortly after takeoff, killing 241 passengers and 19 people on the ground.
Ramesh, a British citizen from Leicester, miraculously survived but lost his brother, Ajay, whom he described as “my strength” and “my everything.”
“God gave me life but took all my happiness, and from my family. It completely brought down my family.
”It’s very difficult for me and my family,” Ramesh told the UK Press Association.
He suffers ongoing physical pain in his leg, shoulder, knee, and back, and has been unable to work or drive since the crash.
Ramesh also experiences PTSD, frequent flashbacks, and severe sleep disturbances, and has not received continued medical care since returning to the UK.
The preliminary investigation by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) indicated that fuel to the jet’s engines was cut off moments before impact, but no conclusive cause or assignment of blame has been made.
Families of the victims and the father of one of the pilots have requested independent investigations into the tragedy.
“I get flashbacks all the time. I just stay awake, I sleep maybe three to four hours,” Ramesh told the BBC.
