Latest news with #VishwasKumarRamesh
Time of India
a day ago
- General
- Time of India
Air India plane crash, fire, silence - and then, Vishwas
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Vishwas Kumar Ramesh still cannot believe that he survived Thursday's plane crash in Ahmedabad that killed all the remaining 241 people on board the Air India "It all happened in front of my eyes. I cannot believe how I survived," Ramesh, a resident of Leicester, told a TV channel. "For a brief moment, I felt I was about to die but when my eyes opened, I was alive. I unbuckled myself from the seat and exited from an opening," he said. "In front of my eyes, airhostesses and aunties and uncles had perished."He said he felt that the plane had stalled immediately after take-off. "Green and white lights were on. It looked like they were giving 'race' to the plane to give more thrust and the plane crashed into a building."The 45-year-old man was seated in seat 11A on the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner . Seat 11A is one of six seats in the first row of the economy class on Air India's B787-8 aircraft. It is a window seat near an emergency exit and adjacent to the aircraft's galley, according to the seat map. Ramesh said he could walk out from the wreckage as his side of the aircraft did not hit the hostel."It landed on the ground. There was some space on my side. When the door broke open, I could find space and escape. I could not believe that I was alive. My left hand got burnt in the fire, but I walked out of the crash site. I received good treatment here," he said.
Mint
a day ago
- General
- Mint
Air India Plane Crash: Is 11A the safest seat on an aircraft? Ways to stay safe on your next flight
Air India Plane Crash: Vishwas Kumar Ramesh, the lone survivor of the ghastly Air India plane crash on June 12, was sitting on seat 11A when the aircraft crashed. His survival through the exit door has now fuelled speculations on whether this seat is the safest in every aircraft. Aviation experts have however explained that the answer cannot be so simple as aircraft vary a lot in terms of seat configurations, while the nature of crashes are often unique. Both of these come into play when survival in a plane crash is concerned. 'Each accident is different, and it is impossible to predict survivability based on seat location,' Mitchell Fox, a director at US-based nonprofit Flight Safety Foundation, was quoted as saying by Reuters. Seated in 11A, next to an emergency exit, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh said he initially believed he had died but managed to unbuckle himself and crawl through an opening in the fuselage. 'In this particular instance, because the passenger was sitting adjacent to the emergency exit, this was obviously the safest seat on the day,' Ron Bartsch, Chairman at Sydney-based AvLaw Aviation Consulting, told Reuters. However, the seat does not always have to be 11A in particular, like in the Air India aircraft, he said. 'But it's not always 11A, it's just 11A on this configuration of the Boeing 787.' Sitting next to an exit door, like Ramesh, gives the passenger a chance to be among the first persons to get out of the plane, although some exits don't function after a crash, the expert told Reuters. The opposite side of the plane was blocked by the wall of a building it crashed into, he said. Paying attention to the safety briefing at the start of your flight - often dismissed as routine - is likely the best way to improve your chances of survival, experts say. Safety briefings typically cover critical instructions such as how to fasten your seatbelt securely, adopt the correct brace position and plan your evacuation route. A common tip is to count the number of rows between your seat and the nearest exit - vital knowledge if the cabin fills with smoke and visibility is low. Despite disasters such as the Air India plane crash, plane designs have evolved to increase the likelihood of passengers walking away from a rare plane accident, Fox told Reuters. These include floor path lighting, fire detection and extinguishers, less flammable cabin materials and improved access to emergency exits. 'There have been remarkable advancements in airplane cabin design that have improved the survivability of accidents on or near the ground,' Fox was quoted as saying. (With inputs from Reuters)
India Today
a day ago
- India Today
Black box recovered from Air India crash site, DGCA issues new safety norms for Air India Boeing Dreamliners
The recovery of the black box from the Air India flight 171 crash site in Ahmedabad, which resulted in the death of 241 people, is the main focus. Investigators are analysing the wreckage and evidence to determine the cause of the crash, with considerations of a possible double engine failure. The lone survivor, a 45-year-old British national named Vishwas Kumar Ramesh, described his miraculous escape as his seat fell off during the crash. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the crash site and met with injured victims at the hospital. The black box is expected to provide crucial data on cockpit conversations and mechanical parameters, with investigators set to analyse over 1000 parameters to ascertain the cause. In response, DGCA has issued new safety inspection norms for Boeing 787 aircraft.
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First Post
a day ago
- First Post
How ‘most hated' seat 11A turned into a miracle one for lone survivor of Air India plane crash
Seat 11A, usually the last pick for most air travellers turned lucky for Vishwas Kumar Ramesh. He is the lone survivor of the tragic Air India crash that killed 241 people. What happened to Ramesh as the plane went down? read more Vishwas Kumar Ramesh, a British-Indian man, who miraculously walked away alive after Air India plane crash survived, thanks to his seat 11A, which is often disliked by passengers. Image for Representation. Pixabay Call it fate. Or a strange twist of luck. Seat 11A, usually the last pick for most air travellers, ended up being the one thing that saved a man's life in one of India's deadliest aviation disasters. On June 12, Air India Flight AI171 took off from Ahmedabad for London. But just minutes after takeoff, the plane sent out a 'Mayday' call, lost contact with air traffic control, and crashed beyond the airport perimeter, killing 241 of the 242 people on board. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Only one man survived. Vishwas Kumar Ramesh, a British-Indian man, who miraculously walked away alive from the wreckage, thanks, it seems, to the very seat that most passengers try to avoid. But why is 11A the 'most hated' seat? Seat 11A has long carried a bad rep among frequent flyers—and for good reason. According to flight attendants at American Airlines, seats 11A and 11F are ones passengers often grumble about. Speaking to The Sun last year, they explained that travellers in these seats usually end up being the last to deboard, since they're positioned right in the middle of the aircraft. 'If you're looking for a quick exit, avoid row 11 at all costs,' they said. And that's not the only downside. Reports suggest that this row is also known for being noisier, more exposed to foot traffic, and subject to colder drafts. All of these factors make 11A a less-than-ideal spot, especially on long-haul flights. But perhaps what passengers dislike most is the fact that 11A is often dubbed the 'window seat without a window.' Seat 11A has long carried a bad rep among frequent flyers. Over time, seat 11A has gained infamy online as the 'windowless window seat." Image courtesy: X Thanks to the placement of internal components like air conditioning ducts or structural reinforcements, certain seats, especially those around the wings, like 9A, 10A, 11A and 12A, sometimes don't have windows at all. It's a quirk particularly common on Boeing 737 aircraft. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The result? Disappointed passengers who booked a window seat only to find a blank wall next to them. Over time, seat 11A has gained infamy online as the 'windowless window seat,' with many travellers sharing their frustration. But this very seat, mocked and avoided by many, may have played a life-saving role. Since Vishwas Ramesh's miraculous survival was linked to 11A, people are now wondering if the seat deserves a new name: the 'Miracle Seat.' Vishwas's boarding pass for Air India flight AI171 that shows him being assigned seat 11A. Image courtesy: X How Seat 11A became Vishwas's 'lucky charm' Speaking from his hospital bed, Vishwas Ramesh recalled the surreal moment he realised he was still alive after the Air India crash. '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, still visibly shaken. According to NDTV, which analysed the seating layout of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, 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. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD That positioning 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 When the plane went down, the front-left section of the aircraft, where seat 11A is located, crashed into the ground floor of the building it struck. The upper levels, meanwhile, took the brunt of the impact and fire. That meant Ramesh's part of the fuselage remained somewhat intact, giving him a sliver of a chance. 'The side where I was seated fell into the ground floor of the building,' he said. 'There was some space. When the door broke, I saw that space and I just jumped out.' He believes the emergency door gave way during the crash. 'The door must've broken on impact. There was a wall on the opposite side, but near me, it was open. I ran. I don't know how.' He's now under 24/7 observation in bed 11 of Ward B7 at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, guarded by both the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad and the city crime branch. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the hospital to meet him personally. Vishwas, who grew up in India before moving to the UK, was travelling back home with his brother Ajay, who did not survive the crash. With input from agencies
Time of India
a day ago
- General
- Time of India
'For A Moment I Felt...': Sole Survivor Of Air India Crash Vishwas Kumar Ramesh Recalls Escape
/ Jun 13, 2025, 02:32PM IST Vishwas Kumar Ramesh, a British national and the lone survivor of the tragic Air India crash in Ahmedabad, shares his heart-wrenching account of escaping death. Seated on the side that hit open ground, he walked away with burns and bruises — while over 240 others, including his own brother, perished. The Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner bound for London, crashed just 10 seconds after takeoff. Vishwas's survival is being hailed as nothing short of a miracle by family members in London. In an emotional video call moments after the crash, he told his father, "I don't know how I'm alive." Prime Minister Modi visited the crash site and Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad, meeting Vishwas and promising a full investigation. This emotional story has shaken the world — a miraculous survival amidst immense tragedy. Watch to hear Vishwas's own words on what happened inside the doomed aircraft.#airindiacrash #vishwaskumarramesh #ahmedabadcrash #boeing787 #planemiracle #modi #indiauk #aviationnews #airdisaster #ddnewsinterview #toi #toibharat #bharat #breakingnews #indianews
