In what can only be described as a miraculous escape, 39-year-old Vishwas Kumar Ramesh—seated in seat 11A—survived the catastrophic plane crash near Ahmedabad on June 12, emerging from the wreckage against all odds.
The British national of Indian origin, who was visiting his family in India, recalled the sheer chaos of the disaster. “Thirty seconds after takeoff, there was a deafening noise, and then the plane crashed,” Ramesh told reporters from his hospital bed.
“It all happened so fast… When I regained consciousness, I was surrounded by bodies. I was scared out of my mind.” In a frenzy, he managed to stand, push through the debris, and run for his life, only to be pulled into an ambulance moments later.
Ahmedabad Police Commissioner Gyanender Singh Malik was quoted by Indian Express as saying that Ramesh, the lone survivor, was pulled from the wreckage and is now recovering in hospital. Gujarat state officials confirmed only one survivor as of the latest updates.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who arrived in Ahmedabad in the evening, echoed the news of the miraculous survival. “I met him in the hospital. The good news is, he made it out alive,” Shah said.
But while Ramesh’s survival defies belief, his story is marked by tragedy. He had been traveling with his brother, Ajay Kumar Ramesh, who was seated in a different section of the aircraft.
Vishwas’ voice trembled as he recounted the harrowing moment he realized his brother was gone: “I was traveling with my brother. We had just visited Diu together. But after the crash, I can’t find him anymore.”
Doctors who treated Ramesh confirmed that, despite suffering multiple injuries and disorientation, he was out of immediate danger. “He was thrown from the plane and found near the debris. He walked to a nearby ambulance, but was in shock and suffering from injuries all over his body,” Dr. Dhaval Gameti said.
In a chilling account, another medic shared Ramesh’s description of the crash.
“Immediately after takeoff, the plane began descending, and then it split in two—there was an explosion after that,” Ramesh recounted, still struggling to comprehend how he made it out alive.
Ramesh’s survival was confirmed by relatives, who received a brief but crucial call from him moments after the crash. His cousin, Ajay Valgi, spoke to BBC, revealing the surreal nature of the call. “He just said he was fine, nothing else,” Valgi said. “We’re happy he’s safe, but devastated about his brother.”
Vishwas’ brother, Nayan Kumar Ramesh, spoke to Sky News about the emotional aftermath. “He video-called my father immediately after the crash. He said, ‘The plane’s crashed, I don’t know where my brother is, and I don’t know how I survived. I can’t believe it.’”
For the Ramesh family, the miracle of survival is overshadowed by the grief of loss. Vishwas’ survival is a haunting testament to the fragility of life, but the tragedy is far from over for the families of those who were not as fortunate.
