Living with scars, unanswered questions: Lone Air India crash survivor a year on

A year after the Air India AI171 crash that claimed 260 lives, lone survivor Vishwash Kumar Ramesh is still struggling with trauma, the loss of his brother, unanswered questions about the disaster, and the financial hardships that followed.

It has been a year since Air India 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which was en route from Ahmedabad for London, crashed shortly after takeoff. The June 12, disaster killed 260 people, including 241 passengers and crew on board, and 19 people on the ground, making it one of India's deadliest aviation tragedies. Only one passenger survived, a British national with roots in Diu. Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, who was seated in 11A and escaped from the wreckage after the aircraft slammed into the hostel complex in Ahmedabad.

A year later, Ramesh says survival has brought neither closure nor peace. Having lost his younger brother Ajay in the crash, the 39-year-old continues to grapple with grief, trauma, unanswered questions about what caused the disaster and financial uncertainty.

"What many people perhaps don't fully appreciate is that the trauma didn't end on the day of the disaster," Ramesh told the UK-based news agency, Press Association. "I live with significant psychological scars, the loss of my brother, and the constant unanswered questions around how and why this happened."

The lone survivor of the Air India 171 crash has spent the past year trying to rebuild his life in the UK's Leicester, where he lives with his wife Hiral, their five-year-old son Divang, his parents and a younger brother. But while the physical injuries have healed, he says the emotional impact of surviving a crash that killed everyone else on board — including his brother — remains impossible to leave behind.

STILL CARRYING PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL WOUNDS

The crash left Ramesh carrying both physical and emotional wounds that continue to shape his daily life, long after the world's attention moved on from the disaster.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Ramesh said, "I don't think I can ever be completely at peace. I will have to live with what I have gone through and what I have lost, each day of my life".

The emotional toll has been compounded by the loss of his brother Ajay, who was seated only a few rows away on the doomed flight. In earlier remarks reported by the BBC and The Independent, Ramesh described his survival as a "miracle" but said the death of his brother had "taken all my happiness."

Ramesh was seated near an emergency exit when the aircraft broke apart after crashing into a medical college hostel. He was thrown clear of the wreckage and later found walking by emergency responders in scenes that stunned rescuers and aviation experts alike. His brother did not survive.

A year on, he says the trauma remains ever-present. "What many people perhaps don't fully appreciate is that the trauma didn't end on the day of the disaster," he said. "I live with the significant psychological scars, the loss of my brother..."

His advisor and legal representative, Leicester-based motivational speaker Sanjiv Patel, said the psychological impact remains profound. "It can't be explained in words... you can't shake this off because of the experience they have been through, including dealing with anxiety. Trauma is a day-to-day thing for him," Patel told The Indian Express.

Patel said the effects of the crash extend beyond Ramesh himself and continue to affect his entire family. "So many families are just living with the consequences. It is not just the physical impact or the trauma, but the impact on the whole family," he said.

Ramesh credits his family and Sanjiv Patel for helping him through the past year. Living in Leicester with his family, he says their support has been crucial in helping him cope with the grief and shock.

"I get the strength to deal with the sorrow and shock because of my family and cooperation from Sanjivbhai," he told The Indian Express.

FAMILIES OF VICTIMS DESERVE CLARITY, SAYS RAMESH

Even after a year, Ramesh says he is still searching for answers about what caused the crash.

"I know those questions are not just on my mind; they are on the minds of every affected family," he told the Press Association. "More than anything, people need honesty, transparency and answers. Nothing will ever change what happened, but families deserve clarity."

The wait for those answers has become longer than many families expected. Last month, India's Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau's (AAIB) final report was in its "final stages" and could be completed within a month, potentially coinciding with the first anniversary of the crash.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), however, has decided to delay issuing the final report by two months citing the need to complete an analysis of the plane's GE Aerospace engines, which are at the centre of the investigation.

A preliminary report released by the AAIB a month after the crash found that the aircraft's engine fuel control switches moved from the "Run" to "Cutoff" position almost immediately after takeoff, cutting fuel supply to the engines. The report stopped short of assigning blame or determining why the switches moved.

That has left families waiting for investigators to explain how a modern Boeing 787 Dreamliner lost power moments after becoming airborne and whether the tragedy could have been prevented.

Ramesh told The Indian Express that the final report is "necessary".

"It will help us know what happened, and ensure this does not happen again," he said.

His legal team at London's Hudgell Solicitors is preparing civil claims while awaiting the investigation's conclusions. Solicitor Paul McClorry told the Press Association that investigators should finally provide "some clarity as to how and why this awful disaster happened, and, crucially, how it could have been avoided".

RAMESH YET TO RECEIVE FULL COMPENSATION FROM AIR INDIA

Alongside the emotional and psychological burden, Ramesh's family continues to face financial hardship.

According to his legal representative, Sanjiv Patel, Air India has so far provided approximately 21,500 pounds (about Rs 25 lakh) in interim compensation, a payment extended to all affected families. The airline is also covering Ramesh's medical treatment.

However, Patel says the support has not been enough to offset the long-term impact of the crash. "The reality is that Viswash and his family continue to face significant financial hardship," he told the Press Association.

"Due to the physical and psychological impact of the crash, he has been unable to return to work and support his family in the way he once did, leaving them currently living on less than 1,000 pounds per month," said Patel.

Patel said discussions with Air India and Tata Group representatives had been "constructive" and resulted in "some positive progress", though several issues remain unresolved.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Patel added, "We appreciate the medical assistance provided so far, and beyond that, what we are seeking is fair financial support that reflects the ongoing impact on Vishwas' life. Our hope is for a resolution that helps him regain financial stability and security for his family as they navigate this difficult journey."

For Ramesh, the anniversary is less a milestone than a reminder that the effects of that morning still shape his life. He continues to live with the grief of losing his brother, unanswered questions about the crash, and the challenge of rebuilding a future for his young family.

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