Latest news with #FlightTG261
Daily Tribune
12 hours ago
- General
- Daily Tribune
Seat 11A: A Chilling Link Between Two Air Tragedy Survivors
Nearly three decades ago, Thai singer Ruangsak Loychusak—famous in the 90s as 'Iron Bones'—miraculously walked away from the wreckage of Thai Airways Flight TG261. The plane had crashed into a rubber plantation in 1998, killing 101 people. Ruangsak, who was seated in 11A, survived with injuries and carried a fear of flying for more than 10 years. Now, almost 27 years later, the number 11A has resurfaced in a way that left him speechless. This week, Ruangsak learned that Vishwash Kumar Ramesh—the only survivor of the June 12 Air India crash in Ahmedabad—was also sitting in seat 11A when the plane hit a college hostel building. In a quiet and emotional post, Ruangsak said the coincidence gave him goosebumps. He called it a powerful reminder of how unpredictable and fragile life can be. He offered his heartfelt condolences to the victims' families in Ahmedabad and reflected on how one seat—11A—has now come to represent survival against all odds in two separate tragedies.
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First Post
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- First Post
Miracles in seat 11A: The tale of 2 air crashes and 2 survivors
Thai singer Ruangsak James Loychusak, a survivor of the 1998 Thai Airways crash, said he got 'goosebumps' when he found out an eerie coincidence with the recent Air India crash survivor, Vishwas Kumar Ramesh. They both sat in the same seat, 11A. Loychusak was among the 45 people who survived the Thai Airways crash that killed 146 people three decades ago read more In December 1998, Thai singer Ruangsak Loychusak was aboard Thai Airways Flight TG261 to Surat Thani when it stalled and crashed into a swamp, killing 146. Among 45 survivors was Loychusak, seated in 11A, same as Ahmedabad Air India passenger, Vishwas Ramesh. Image courtesy: Instagram, Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives Calling Seat 11A a 'miracle seat' would not be an exaggeration. Back in 1998, Thai singer Ruangsak James Loychusak survived a devastating plane crash, an experience that stayed with him forever. But he never thought the seat he was in that day, 11A, would come back into conversation decades later. Nearly 27 years on, when he saw reports that the only survivor of a recent Air India crash in Ahmedabad was also seated in 11A, he was taken aback. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'The lone survivor of the plane crash in India was sitting in the same seat number as me, 11A. Goosebumps', Loychusak, now 47, wrote on Facebook. Earlier this week, India witnessed one of its most tragic aviation accidents in recent history. An Air India flight bound for London crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, killing 241 people on board. The only person who made it out alive was Vishwas Kumar Ramesh, an Indian-origin British national. And now, Loychusak's survival story from 1998 is back in the spotlight, with an uncanny connection to the same seat number, 11A. Here's what we know How seat 11A gave Loychusak a 'second life' In December 1998, 20-year-old Thai singer Ruangsak Loychusak was aboard Thai Airways Flight TG261 from Bangkok to Surat Thani when the Airbus A310 stalled and crashed into a swamp. Of 146 people on board, only 45 survived. Among them was Loychusak, seated in 11A. He somehow managed to crawl out of the wreckage and was rushed to the hospital with injuries. He no longer has his boarding pass from that day, but he says newspaper reports from the time had documented his seat number: 11A. The crash left deep emotional scars. Loychusak has often described the years since as his 'second life'. Of 146 people on board, only 45 survived. Among them was Loychusak, seated in 11A. Loychusak has often described the years since as his 'second life'. Image courtesy: X 'I had difficulty flying for 10 years after the crash. I would struggle breathing, even though the air circulation was normal,' he told The Daily Mail. '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.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The memories of that day never left him. '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,' he said. In December 1998, 20-year-old Thai singer Ruangsak Loychusak was aboard Thai Airways Flight TG261 from Bangkok to Surat Thani when the Airbus A310 stalled and crashed into a swamp. Image courtesy: Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives So when he came across reports that the lone survivor of the Air India crash in June 2025 had also been seated in 11A, he felt a chill. He then offered condolences to those who lost their lives in the tragic incident. How 11A became a 'miracle seat' for Vishwas Just days ago, 40-year-old Vishwas Ramesh became the only person to survive the Air India crash in Ahmedabad. He, too, had been sitting in 11A. Speaking from his hospital bed, Ramesh shared the moment he realised he had somehow survived. 'I've no idea how I survived. For a while, I thought I was dying too. But when I opened my eyes, I tried to get out. I saw the gate was broken and there was a small gap — I jumped through it,' he told DD News. Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old British citizen, was the only person to survive the crash. PTI/Reuters According to NDTV, which analysed the seating layout of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, Ramesh's seat 11A was located at the front of the economy section, just behind business class, and close to the left-side emergency exits. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD That location may have made all the difference. Ramesh's seat 11A was located in the first row of the economy section, just behind business class and close to the left-side emergency exits. That positioning may have made all the difference. Image courtesy: SeatGuru The section of the plane where Ramesh was seated crashed into the lower floor of a building. While upper levels of the aircraft were engulfed in fire, his part of the fuselage stayed relatively intact. That narrow stroke of luck may have given him the chance to escape. Footage taken near the crash site shows Ramesh, injured and limping, making his way away from the burning jet before emergency responders reached him. Ramesh, who grew up in India and later moved to the UK, had been travelling with his brother Ajay, who tragically did not survive the crash. Seat 11A: From the 'worst seat' to a lucky charm Among frequent flyers, seat 11A hasn't exactly been a popular choice. Flight attendants from American Airlines once told The Sun that 11A and 11F are among the most complained-about seats. They're located mid-cabin, meaning passengers often have to wait longer to deboard. But perhaps the biggest disappointment? On many aircraft, including certain Boeing 737s, 11A is a window seat…without an actual window. Thanks to internal wiring, air ducts, or aircraft design quirks, seats like 9A to 12A sometimes sit beside a blank wall. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Yet in the wake of these two unbelievable survival stories, the perception of 11A is starting to shift. Online, people are now referring to it as 'the miracle seat.' Some are even asking airlines if they can reserve it, not for the view, but for the luck. With input from agencies
Time of India
a day ago
- General
- Time of India
The 11A enigma: Two plane crashes, two survivors and one seat story - similar tales of cheating death
NEW DELHI: A Thai singer has revealed he survived a deadly 1998 plane crash that killed 101 people—while seated in 11A, the very same seat number occupied by the sole survivor of the Air India tragedy. "The lone survivor of the plane crash in India was sitting in the same seat number as me, 11A," 47-year-old Ruangsak Loychusak said. "I want to offer my condolences to all those who lost loved ones in the tragedy," he added. Loychusak was aboard Thai Airways Flight TG261 from Bangkok to Surat Thani when the aircraft stalled and crashed into a swamp during its landing attempt. The disaster claimed 101 lives out of 132 passengers and 14 crew members, with 45 others sustaining injuries, the Daily Mail reported. Describing his "second life", he recalled the trauma he had to deal with after surviving the near-death experience. "I had difficulty flying for 10 years after the crash. I would struggled breathing, even though the air circulation was normal," he said. "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," he added. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villa For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Villas in Dubai | Search ads Learn More Undo Viswashkumar is the lone survivor out of the 242 aboard AI 171 and he was seated in 11A. He lost his brother in the crash, who was seated in 11J. Viswashkumar, a British citizen of Indian origin, and his brother Ajaykumar—originally from Diu—were among 15 passengers from Bucharwada and Vanakbara villages on the ill-fated flight. The brothers, who had lived in the UK for over 15 years, operated a garment business in London and managed a fishing venture in Diu.
India Today
a day ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
The 11A mystery: Two plane crashes, two lives spared, one seat
A Thai actor-singer who survived a deadly plane crash 27 years ago noticed an eerie coincidence when he got to know about the Air India disaster: the lone survivor was seated in the exact same seat as he was, December 11, 1998, 20-year-old Ruangsak Loychusak cheated death when Thai Airways Flight TG261 stalled and plunged into a swamp while attempting to land in southern Thailand, killing 101 of the 146 people on now 47, said he had goosebumps after learning that Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British national who had a miraculous escape in the Air India Flight AI171 crash, was seated in 11A when the plane went down. In a Facebook post written in Thai, Ruangsak said, "Survivor of a plane crash in India. He sat in the same seat as me. 11A."The Boeing Dreamliner crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad airport on Thursday afternoon. Of the 242 people onboard, Ramesh was the only one to noted he no longer had his boarding pass from 1998, but said newspaper articles had documented his seat number and defying death, the actor has, on several occasions, openly addressed the trauma and survivor's guilt he carried for years. According to reports, he did not fly again for a described his life since the crash as a "second life", and offered his condolences to the families affected by the Air India miracle on seat 11A has stunned the public and sparked global fascination. Seated by the emergency exit, Ramesh was thrown from the aircraft on impact and, despite multiple injuries, managed to walk away from the wreckage and into a waiting from the hospital, Ramesh said he doesn't know how he survived when everyone else on the doomed plane perished."For some time, I thought I was also going to die. But when I opened my eyes, I realised I was alive and I tried to unbuckle myself from the seat and escape from where I could," he told DD fascination with Ramesh's narrow escape has led to a spike in interest for emergency exit seats on commercial flights, and seat 11A in particular. Social media is buzzing with posts by people looking to book these seats for their next Reel
