The only survivor of the Air India plane crash that killed 241 people in June has said it is a miracle he is still alive, but the death of his brother has left him broken. Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 39, a British national, was on board flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London when it crashed shortly after take-off on 12 June.
In an interview with the PA news agency, Ramesh said the loss of his brother Ajay, who was also on the flight, had devastated his family. “I lost everything – my happiness. God gave me life but took all my happiness, and from my family,” he said. “It completely brought down my family … it’s very difficult for me and my family.”
Ramesh, who has not spoken in detail about his own memories of the crash, said he suffers from constant flashbacks and struggles to sleep. “I get flashbacks all the time, I just stay awake, I sleep maybe three to four hours. Yes it’s a miracle I survived, but I lost everything, I lost my brother, I’m broken,” he said.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed into a medical college near Ahmedabad airport, killing all 241 people on board except Ramesh. Among the dead were 169 Indian nationals and 52 British nationals, making it one of the deadliest plane crashes for British fatalities. A further 19 people on the ground died and 67 were seriously injured.
A preliminary report from India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau found that both of the plane’s fuel switches were moved to the “cut-off” position immediately after take-off, stopping fuel supply to the engines. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
