Global | November 3, 2025 | Dalena Reporters
The only survivor of the tragic Air India Boeing 787–8 crash in Ahmedabad has opened up about the deep emotional and physical toll the disaster has taken on him and his family.
Identified as Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a 39-year-old British citizen living in Leicester, he described his survival as nothing short of a miracle — yet said losing his brother in the crash had left him emotionally shattered. “God gave me life but took all my happiness, and from my family,” he told the Press Association in a series of interviews. He added: “It completely brought down my family… it’s very difficult for me and my family.”
The crash occurred on June 12 when a London-bound flight of Air India departed from Ahmedabad and plunged into a medical college campus shortly after take-off. All 241 passengers aboard and 19 people on the ground were killed. Ramesh’s survival remains unique: he crawled from the wreckage, the only passenger to do so.
Since then, Ramesh has suffered from profound trauma: he reports constant flashbacks, insomnia, and chronic pain in his leg, shoulder, knee and back. He says he now sleeps just three to four hours nightly, and has been unable to return to driving or his business. He told broadcasters he prefers to stay alone in his bedroom rather than engage with family, describing his mental state as “broken”.
Adding to his grief is the loss of his brother, Ajay Ramesh, aged 35, who died on the same flight. Ramesh said his brother was his “strength… my everything,” and losing him has made it hard to find purpose. His parents and younger brother, he said, have “totally broken down… mentally.”
Investigators from India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau found that both engine fuel-control switches were in the “cut-off” position almost immediately after take-off, halting fuel supply to both engines — a finding that has raised questions over whether the crash was accidental or intentional. A full report has yet to be published.
In the wake of the crash, Ramesh has criticised Air India for failing to provide adequate, ongoing personal care. His advisers said the airline had offered standard interim compensation to victims’ families but lacked meaningful engagement with the lone survivor’s individual needs.