For Me, He Was Everything”: Sole Survivor of Air India Crash Lives With Grief and Pain

Of the 242 people on board the Air India flight that crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad on June 12, only one survived — 37-year-old Viswashkumar Ramesh. His brother, Ajaykumar, was among the 241 killed. What many have called a “miracle” survival has instead become a living nightmare for Ramesh, who is now fighting physical pain, grief and financial ruin.

Ramesh was seated in 11A, beside the emergency exit, when the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner — bound for London Gatwick — crashed into a medical hostel building moments after take-off. He managed to leap from the aircraft. His brother, seated elsewhere, did not survive.

Months later, in a Sky News interview, Ramesh appeared visibly shaken, often falling silent. “It’s very painful talking about the plane,” he said. “I just think about my brother… for me, he was everything.”

“Very broke down”

Ramesh, who now lives in Leicester with his wife and four-year-old son Divang, said he rarely leaves his bedroom and spends most of his time alone. He still suffers from severe knee, shoulder and back pain, along with burn injuries. His wife helps him bathe. “I feel very broke down,” he said. “My family too.”

He also struggles to interact with his son. Asked if Divang comes to sit with him, Ramesh shook his head: “I’m not talking properly with him.”

“We used all our savings”

Before the crash, Ramesh and his brother had used their life savings to start a fishing business in India, travelling frequently between the UK and India. With Ajaykumar gone and Ramesh unable to work, the business has collapsed, leaving families in both countries without income.

Air India has offered him an interim payment of £21,500 (around ₹21.9 lakh), but Ramesh’s adviser, Radd Seiger, said the amount is nowhere close to what is needed to rebuild his life. “It doesn’t even touch the sides,” he said, listing basic requirements such as food, transport for his son, medical care and psychiatric support.

Appeal for more than money

Ramesh’s supporters have also urged Air India CEO Campbell Wilson to meet the survivor and families of the victims “as humans, not just claimants.”

Air India, in a statement, said it remains “deeply conscious” of its responsibility and is continuing to reach out. “Care for him — and all families affected — remains our absolute priority,” the airline said.

Along with 241 passengers and crew, 19 people on the ground were also killed in the June 12 crash.