- June 12, 2026
‘Challenges Continue Behind Closed Doors’: Air India Plane Crash’s Lone Survivor Still Coping With Trauma
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Vishwas, an Indian-origin British citizen, was the only one out of the 242 passengers on board the ill-fated aircraft, who walked out of the burning flames alive.
Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, has called for “honesty, transparency and answers” from investigators and authorities.
Ahmedabad AI 171 Crash: Vishwas Kumar Ramesh, the lone survivor of last year’s Ahmedabad-London Air India plane crash, which claimed the lives of over 270 people, is still struggling to to cope up with the trauma of the monumental tragedy.
Vishwas, an Indian-origin British citizen, was the only one out of the 242 passengers on board the ill-fated aircraft, who walked out of the burning flames alive. His brother Ajay was among the 241 others onboard who perished along with other individuals onboard.
A year after the tragedy, Vishwas is still struggling to cope with the trauma. While his survival was widely described as miraculous, Ramesh said that the challenges did not end when he walked away from the wreckage, news agency PTI reported.
“People see that I’ve survived, but they don’t always see the challenges that continue behind closed doors,” he said, describing his ongoing battle with anxiety, trauma and recurring memories of the crash.
A statement issued by Viswashkumar Ramesh, the lone survivor in the Ahmedabad Air India crash, says, “People see that I’ve survived, but they don’t always see the challenges that continue behind closed doors. I still struggle with sleep, anxiety and difficult memories. A year on,… pic.twitter.com/wXwpPMoNcr— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 12, 2026
“I’m grateful to be alive, but survival is only part of the story. What I’ve faced since then has been far more difficult than I can put into words,” he added.
Speaking to the Press Association, as cited by The Independent, Ramesh said many people fail to understand that the trauma of the disaster continues long after the incident itself.
“What many people perhaps don’t fully appreciate is that the trauma didn’t end on the day of the disaster,” he said. “I live with the significant psychological scars, the loss of my brother, and the constant unanswered questions around how and why this happened.”
Friends and family members have previously described how Ramesh has struggled with sleepless nights, emotional distress and adjusting to life after surviving one of India’s deadliest aviation disasters. He has also faced financial difficulties after the crash disrupted business plans he had shared with his late brother.
Sanjiv Patel, an adviser and life coach speaking on behalf of Ramesh, said the tragedy had affected the family physically, mentally and financially, leaving them to rebuild their lives from scratch.
Ramesh has also called for greater transparency from investigators and authorities, saying affected families deserve clear answers about the cause of the crash.
“More than anything, people need honesty, transparency and answers. Nothing will ever change what happened, but families deserve clarity,” he said.
Investigators are yet to release their final findings into the crash. A preliminary report by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau had found that both fuel switches on the aircraft moved to the “cut-off” position shortly after take-off, interrupting fuel supply to the engines.
About the Author
Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degre…Read More
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