Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old British man, was the sole survivor of the devastating Air India Flight AI171 crash on June 12, which claimed 241 lives. The flight had just taken off from Ahmedabad Airport en route to London Gatwick when it lost power moments after lifting off from runway 23 at 1:39 p.m. Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a veteran pilot with over 8,200 flight hours, issued a chilling final transmission: “Mayday… no thrust, losing power, unable to lift.” Despite the chaos, Kumar, seated in 11A, survived what many are calling a miracle. A simulation by AiTelly suggests he may have escaped by jumping during descent or exiting through an emergency door after the crash.

From his hospital bed, Kumar shared harrowing details of the incident. He recalled unbuckling his seatbelt, kicking open a way out, and running through the wreckage surrounded by bodies. “I saw people dying in front of my eyes—the air hostesses, and two people near me,” he said. “For a moment, I felt like I was going to die too.” Kumar heard a loud noise and saw flickering lights immediately after takeoff, signs of the mechanical failure that led to the tragedy. He was traveling with his brother, who sadly did not survive. Struggling to comprehend his survival, Kumar said, “I still can’t believe how I survived. I walked out of the rubble.” His account underscores both the horror of the crash and the extraordinary nature of his survival.