Latest news with #Loychusak
Hindustan Times
5 hours ago
- General
- Hindustan Times
Seat 11A saves again: Thai singer finds chilling coincidence with survivor of Air India crash
In an extraordinary twist of fate, two men — separated by nearly three decades and thousands of miles — survived devastating plane crashes while seated in the exact same seat: 11A. One crash took place in Thailand in 1998, the other in India in 2025. Now, this eerie coincidence is capturing global attention. As reported by The Telegraph, James Ruangsak Loychusak, a 47-year-old Thai actor and singer, was among the survivors of Thai Airways flight TG261, which crashed during a landing attempt in Surat Thani in 1998. Of the 146 people on board, 101 lost their lives. Loychusak, seated in 11A, defied the odds — a fact that would gain renewed significance 27 years later. (Also read: Moments of terror: Locals run for cover after Air India flight crash in Ahmedabad) Loychusak was left stunned upon discovering that the sole survivor of the recent Air India crash in Ahmedabad, identified as Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, had also been seated in 11A. 'Survivor of a plane crash in India. He sat in the same seat as me. 11A,' Loychusak wrote in a Facebook post, reacting to the uncanny and chilling coincidence. Check out the post here: The Air India flight AI-171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner travelling from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, tragically crashed into a medical college hostel just 33 seconds after take-off, killing 241 people. Miraculously, one passenger survived: 40-year-old Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British Indian national. Vishwash, who had been in India visiting family, was seated in seat 11A. He was travelling with his elder brother, Ajay Kumar Ramesh, 45, who was seated elsewhere on the flight. The siblings had recently returned from a trip to Diu. 'Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly,' Vishwash told HT. (Also read: Woman who missed Air India flight by 'just 10 minutes' talks about lucky escape: 'My body is shivering') He recounted the horror: 'When I got up, there were bodies all around me. I was scared. I stood up and ran. There were pieces of the plane all around me. Someone grabbed hold of me and put me in an ambulance and brought me to the hospital.' He remains in hospital, recovering, and anxiously searching for news of his brother. 'He was travelling with me and I can't find him anymore,' he said. Vishwash has lived in London for the past 20 years, where his wife and child reside — now waiting for his safe return home.
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First Post
8 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
NDTV
9 hours ago
- General
- NDTV
Seat 11A: 2 Plane Crashes, 2 Survivors, 27 Years Apart
New Delhi: Two plane crash survivors, nearly three decades apart, shared the same seat: 11A. The first crash happened in Thailand in 1998, the other in India in 2025, and both survivors walked away from near-certain death. James Ruangsak Loychusak, an actor and singer from Thailand, was shocked to discover that the only person who survived the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad was also sitting in seat 11A, the same seat he sat in when he defied death 27 years ago. Mr Loychusak, 47, was on Thai Airways flight TG261 in 1998 when it crashed while attempting a landing in Surat Thani, a city in southern Thailand. The flight took off from Bangkok, but during landing, it stalled mid-air and crashed, killing 101 of the 146 people on board. He was one of the survivors and was seated in 11A, reported The Telegraph. When the actor heard about the sole Air India flight AI-171 crash survivor - a 40-year-old British Indian man, Viswash Kumar Ramesh, who also happened to be seated in 11A, he noticed the strange coincidence. "Survivor of a plane crash in India. He sat in the same seat as me. 11A," he wrote on Facebook. But this was just a coincidence, for there were multiple survivors in the Thai Airways crash. In contrast, the Air India crash had only one survivor. Additionally, the two aircraft were different. Thai Airways Flight was an Airbus A310, while Air India Flight AI-171 used a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. The design, layout, and seat positioning of 11A are different on the two aircraft. The London-bound Air India flight took off from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on June 12 and crashed 30 seconds later on the hostel building of a nearby medical college. Of the 242 people on board, Viswash was the only survivor.
Time of India
13 hours 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.
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- General
- Scottish Sun
I escaped devastating plane crash that left 101 dead…while in SAME 11A seat as Brit sole survivor of Air India disaster
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A LUCKY man who survived a fatal plane crash has revealed he was sat in the same seat as the Brit sole survivor in the Air India disaster. Ruangsak Loychusak was onboard the Thai Airways flight TG261 from Bangkok to India when it stalled and plunged into a swamp - killing 101 people on board. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 13 Ruangsak Loychusak was on the doomed Thai Airways flight TG261 flight that crashed and killed 101 people Credit: Asia Pacific Press via ViralPress 13 Loychusak has now revealed he was sat on seat 11A Credit: Asia Pacific Press via ViralPress 13 A picture of Loychusak being rescued Credit: Asia Pacific Press via ViralPress 13 Vishwash Kumar Ramesh is the sole survivor of the Air India Crash 13 Picture showing his flight's boarding pass But the singer revealed he was sitting in seat 11A when the plane went down in 1998. The tragedy left 101 of the 132 passengers and 14 crew members dead. Some 45 people were injured. It comes as... Follow The Sun's live blog for all the latest updates Ruangsak said he had "goosebumps" when it was revealed that the only survivor from the Air India crash was seated in 11A as well. Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, cheated death after being flung from his seat on the flaming Air India jet - escaping with minor injuries and filmed walking away after the wreck. He said the plane broke off after the crash and his seat flung out of the wreckage. Ruangsak said: "The lone survivor of the plane crash in India was sitting in the same seat number as me, 11A. Is THIS the moment that saved the sole Brit survivor? Vid shows debris fly from Air India jet…is it door he fled from? "I want to offer my condolences to all those who lost loved ones in the tragedy." Although the Thai man no longer has his ticket from the doomed flight almost three decades ago, he said the newspaper reports from the time had recorded his seat number. It would also be available on the flight records, he added. He said: "I had difficulty flying for 10 years after the crash. I would struggle to breathe, even though the air circulation was normal. "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. "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." The Boeing 787 Dreamliner with 242 passengers on board - including 53 Brits and 11 children - smashed into a doctors' hostel in the west of India on Thursday. 13 A newspaper report about the Thai crash Credit: Asia Pacific Press via ViralPress 13 Loychusak in a hospital aftr the crash Credit: Asia Pacific Press via ViralPress 13 13 The plane was seen disappearing behind buildings before the huge blast Credit: X 13 The plane was seen wedged in a building Credit: Reuters But Ramesh miralously escaped from the burning aircraft, becoming the only person to make it out alive. Incredible footage shows him walking away from the wreckage almost unscathed. Flanked by the locals, he can be seen making his way towards an ambulance with blood caking his face. His boarding pass revealed he was sat on seat 11A, next to the flight's emergency exit. Ramesh revealed how he survived the tragic crash that killed everyone on board but him. Speaking in Hindi, he said: "Everything happened in front of me and I couldn't believe how I had come out alive. "I thought for a second that I was going to die. But when I opened my eyes, I realised I was alive. I tried to slip out of the plane. "I saw the air hostess, other passengers all in front of me. Within a few seconds, it felt the plane had stopped, and the green and white lights switched on. "It felt like maybe [the pilot] suddenly accelerated to take off, but it went down to a hostel from there at high speed. I saw everything. "The door broke [near me] broke off and I tried to slip out. The opposite side of the plane hit the wall. That's why others could not get out. "When I got out, I was taken to the ambulance and rushed to the hospital. My treatment is going well, and the people are very supportive." 13 Huge plumes of black smoke could be seen billowing into the sky 13 The plane crashed into a doctor's hostel Credit: EPA 13 The Boeing 787 Dreamliner with 242 passengers on board - including 53 Brits - smashed into a doctors' hostel in Ahmedabad in the west of India. The plane was headed to London Gatwick with 232 passengers and 10 crew on board when it crashed just seconds after take-off. The Dreamliner lost contact just seconds after take-off, according to flight tracking website Flightradar. A final alert was last logged less than a minute after it started the journey from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. It had only reached 625ft at the time, officials believe. Seconds before the crash, the Boeing was filmed flying low over the Meghani Nagar residential area with the pilots appearing to be in a desperate bid to keep the plane in the air. Moments later, it was seen disappearing behind buildings before a huge blast was seen in the distance.
