
'Goosebumps': Thai Singer's Seat 11A Miracle Mirrors Sole Survivor's Story From Air India Crash
Last Updated:
Thai singer Ruangsak James Loychusak was in seat 11A, the same seat which was occupied by Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, the only survivor of the recent Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad.
Is 11A truly a saviour? Amid ongoing discussions about the supposedly lucky seat 11A following the AI-171 flight crash in Ahmedabad, a Thai singer has revealed his survival of a fatal plane crash while occupying the same seat as the sole British survivor of the Air India disaster.
Ruangsak Loychusak detailed his experience aboard Thai Airways flight TG261, travelling from Bangkok to India. The aircraft stalled and crashed into a swamp, resulting in 101 fatalities.
Thai singer Ruangsak James Loychusak, now 47, survived the 1998 Thai Airways crash. Recalling the incident, he revealed a striking coincidence: he was seated in 11A, the same seat occupied by Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, the sole survivor of the recent Air India crash in Ahmedabad.
Loychusak wrote on Facebook: 'The lone survivor of the plane crash in India was sitting in the same seat number as me, 11A. Goosebumps."
Ruangsak revealed that the crash left him with lasting trauma. He struggled for a decade with aerophobia (fear of flying), social avoidance, and anxiety triggered by clouds.
'I avoided speaking to anyone and always stared outside the window, blocking anyone from closing it to maintain my sense of safety. If I saw dark clouds or a rainstorm outside, I would feel terrible, like I was in hell," the MailOnline quoted him as saying.
He added: 'I can still remember the sounds, smells, and even the taste of the water in the swamp the plane crashed into. For a long time, I would keep the feelings to myself."
Although Ruangsak no longer possesses his original boarding pass, newspaper reports confirm his seat number as 11A. He offered condolences to the families affected by the recent Air India tragedy, stating that surviving the previous crash gave him a 'second life".
The Boeing Dreamliner crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad airport on Thursday afternoon. Of the 242 people on board, Ramesh was the only survivor.
First Published:
June 14, 2025, 14:47 IST
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Time of India
14 minutes ago
- Time of India
Lucky seven who failed to board ill-fated flight and lived
1 2 3 Sometimes, destiny doesn't announce its warnings aloud. It just intervenes through mundane ways: a mother's emotional plea, traffic that refuses to clear or just a gut feeling that something isn't quite right. For seven passengers meant to board Air India Flight 171 on June 12, these subtle interventions became the difference between life and death. Yaman Vyas had his return journey to London all planned. The warehouse worker, who holds a UK work permit, was wrapping up a visit to his family in Vadodara after two years abroad. His bags were packed, documents ready and he was not expecting to return to India for at least another year. But as he prepared to seek his parents' blessings before departure, his mother was overcome with emotion. The thought of another lengthy separation seemed unbearable. "Thhoda divas rokai jaa ne, beta (Just stay back for a few more days, son)," she pleaded, her voice heavy with affection. His father supported her request. Overwhelmed by his mother's plea, he simply cancelled his flight, no questions asked. "Later that afternoon, when messages about the crash started flooding my mobile, I realised how my mother's instinct had saved my life." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Furious Audiologists Try To Ban This $160 Crystal Clear Hearing Breakthrough risinghealthtrends Learn More Undo For Jaimin Patel, 29, and Priya Patel, 25, from Chandlodia in Ahmedabad, the journey to London was meant to be a happy reunion. Their friend Rohit Yadav had invited them for holidays, and they arrived at the airport with visitor visas, all excited about the trip. At the check-in counter, however, their plans hit a hurdle. The Air India staff informed them that queries had been raised regarding their documentation, which required resolution before boarding passes could be issued. Jaimin and Priya Patel told the staff that it was impossible to resolve the matter at such short notice and begged to be allowed on the flight. But the staff remained firm, saying they cannot violate the protocol. After waiting at the airport for an hour in mounting frustration, Jaimin and Priya returned home disappointed. "About an hour later, one of my friends called and just said, 'Switch on the TV right now!' When I saw the news, I was shocked," Jaimin said. "The flight had crashed. I have never been so grateful to God. I thank the Air India staff for putting their foot down and not letting us board the plane." Sometimes the heart knows what the mind cannot comprehend. That is exactly what Savji Timbadia, a Nikol resident, experienced. Everything had been arranged for his trip to London, where his son lives and works. He had seat 1-A reserved on AI 171. But early on Thursday morning, Timbadia made an unexpected call to his son, which puzzled both. "I told my son I did not feel like flying and would postpone my departure until Monday. When he asked about the sudden change of plan, I could only describe a feeling of mental unease. It was not something I could explain." That afternoon, a friend sent him a message asking him to watch the news on TV. "I got the answer to what made me feel uneasy," he said. "Lord Swaminarayan saved my life." Another passenger, who had a similarly lucky escape, was Bhoomi Chauhan. She had every reason to curse Ahmedabad's notorious traffic congestion enroute to the airport. The Bharuch native was to return to her husband in London after her vacation. Taking detours and navigating through traffic jams, when she reached the airport at 12.20pm, she was told that the boarding gates had closed at 12.10pm. "I pleaded with the staff to let me board the flight, but to no avail," she said. Angry and disappointed, she was returning to Bharuch when she learned about the crash. "I was shocked and also grateful to the divine for saving me," she said. "I was leaving my son in India. This was nothing but Ganpati Bappa's miracle." Jayesh Thakkar from Vadodara has business obligations to thank for saving his life. The organizer of one of the biggest garba events in Vadodara, Thakkar was scheduled to be on that ill-fated flight but got delayed in Kolkata due to work. "I was delayed in Kolkata due to work and realized I would not make it to Ahmedabad in time for the flight. That is when I decided to change my itinerary," Thakkar said. Similarly, Ravji Patel decided against flying that day with his son-in-law Arjun Patoliya as he had work to be completed. Arjun was going back to his daughters in London after the post-death rituals of his wife, Bharti, whom he lost to cancer in May. "He insisted that I go with him and meet my granddaughters, aged 8 and 4. But I had some work to do and told him that I will fly down after a fortnight. He agreed to book the tickets for me," Ravji Patel said, still reeling under the shock of losing two loved ones in 20 days. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Summer Holidays Hit By Turbulence
New Delhi: It's the season when suitcases come out and travel plans take off. But this summer, for many outbound flyers, wanderlust is tempered with worry. From tense airspace maps to the recent air tragedy, there's a lot of rethink going on at what is otherwise peak carefree vacation time. The skies between India and the west have become a minefield with airlines avoiding ever-expanding no-fly zones. Air India resumed overflying Iran after Pakistan airspace was closed to Indian carriers on April 24 to make the longer detours bearable. But with Iran closing its airspace following the Israeli attacks on its nuclear sites, the longer routes between India and the west will get even longer. The deadly Air India crash in Ahmedabad has also created a fear of flying. "There's concern among flyers. Many are opting for airlines other than AI," claimed Anil Kalsi, vice-president, Travel Agents Federation of India. "The current uncertainty about routes and the memory of the horrific air crash have caused nervousness among travellers. Many people are deferring non-essential travel until the situation stabilises on either or both of these fronts." The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has asked Air India to inspect its Dreamliner fleet, employed in routes to Europe and the Far East. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo These craft are being checked as they fly into India and are cleared for the next flight only after passing the checks. "AI has completed checks on nine of the B787s. Some of these inspections could lead to higher turnaround time and potential delays on certain long-haul routes, especially those to airports with operating curfews. Customers will be duly notified about any delays. They are advised to check the status of their flights before heading to the airport," AI posted on X on Saturday. The closure of Iranian airspace led to 16 AI flights being affected on Friday. Some were diverted to cities en route such as Vienna, Jeddah and Sharjah, while others returned to their port of origin. IndiGo's once non-stop flights between Delhi and Tbilisi and Baku are now one-stop routes. "Safety is any traveller's first concern. The crash pushed Air India's image back by at least three years. Both family and solo travellers are equally rattled," said M. Iqbal Mulla, president, Global Tourism Council, and former head of Travel Agents' Association of India. "Then, the impact of the Iran airspace closure has proved severe." The bottlenecks in the sky could get worse. The airspace of Jordan and Lebanon closes whenever there's conflict in the region and has shut several times since the Hamas attack in Israel in Oct 2023. Expectedly, travel agents are inundated with panicked calls, airports are grappling with unscheduled landings, and passengers are coming to terms with the uncertainty. Sunil Kumar R, president, Travel Agents' Association of India, said, "The confidence of international travellers has been affected. Many of them are now undecided and awaiting stabilisation of the situation. This indecision is having a negative impact on outbound travel. While some of this may benefit domestic tourism temporarily, continued uncertainty will discourage overseas travel altogether. We're receiving several calls from customers confused about whether to book or postpone travel." J yoti Mayal, chairperson, Tourism and Hospitality Skill Council and former TAAI president, reiterated, "The Israel-Iran conflict and airspace closure have disrupted over 1,800 flights and prompted diversions, especially on routes from India and southeast Asia to Europe and the US. Amid this, Air India has faced a wave of cancellations and change requests, particularly from those booked on similar flights." The India-Pakistan airspace standoff whenever there is tension also forces carriers to take detours and passengers to think twice. There is discussion every day among potential travellers whether it is the right time to be travelling. Sonalika said, "I remember cancelling my flight tickets from Canada to India because of the tension between the two countries earlier. I can only imagine how it feels right now." Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .


Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
It's raptor time at Pallikaranai marshland now
Chennai: It's raptor time at Pallikaranai marshland, as flocks of black kites, black-shouldered kites, and shikras have taken over the skies following the departure of breeding birds like cattle egrets. Among them, black kites dominate in number. Nature Trust founder K V R K Thirunaranan, who has been monitoring bird activity here for 15 years, said these raptors arrive from Kerala with the onset of the southwest monsoon and return once the northeast monsoon begins in Tamil Nadu. This seasonal rhythm signals a dramatic shift in the marshland's birdlife, revealing the ecological dynamism of the wetland. Chennai district forest officer V A Saravanan said the raptors usually begin arriving in April in small numbers, peaking in August. "However, this year, their numbers were unusually high right from the beginning," he noted. Raptor researcher C Sasikumar from Kannur, Kerala, said the migration of raptors from north Kerala to Tamil Nadu has been documented since the 1940s. "An early birdwatcher had recorded this movement, which continues even today," he said. Interestingly, while raptors from north Kerala migrate as soon as the southwest monsoon hits, their counterparts in south Kerala tend to stay put despite the rains. This year, the southwest monsoon hit Kerala in the third week of May, prompting immediate movement of the birds. Thirunaranan pointed out that many believe the garbage dumping yard near Pallikaranai attracts raptors, especially black kites, due to the easy availability of food. But he observed that while this may be a factor, it is not the primary reason. "One can see them resting not just near the dump but across every tree and open space around the marsh. They occupy the entire landscape, which is quite unique," he said. As the marsh transforms into a raptor haven, birdwatchers are keeping their eyes on the sky for the spectacular seasonal show. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .