The only person to emerge alive from the Air India crash in Ahmedabad last June has described his survival as miraculous, but says the death of his brother in the same incident has left him emotionally shattered.
In his first public comments since the tragedy, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a 39-year-old British national, revealed he is plagued by constant flashbacks and severe insomnia, sleeping only a few hours each night. He stated that while he is physically alive, the loss of his 35-year-old brother, Ajay, has taken away all his happiness.
“The incident completely broke my family,” Ramesh explained. “We have lost everything. My parents and younger brother are mentally devastated, and so am I—both mentally and physically.” He spends much of his time alone in his room, withdrawn and reflective, finding it difficult to engage in conversation even with close relatives.
The flight, bound for London, went down shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on June 12, crashing into a medical college. The disaster claimed the lives of all 241 people on board except Ramesh. The fatalities included 169 Indian and 52 British nationals, marking one of the highest death tolls for British citizens in an aviation accident. An additional 19 people on the ground were killed, with 67 others seriously injured.
An initial investigative report from Indian authorities indicated that both of the aircraft’s fuel switches were moved to the “cut-off” position immediately after takeoff, halting the engine’s fuel supply. The reason for this action remains under investigation.
Ramesh acknowledged the strong support from his family, an uncle, a cousin, and close friends, but said the psychological wounds are profound. “Every day is a struggle,” he said. “I am broken.”
