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“I Feel Terrible”: Air India Crash Survivor Shares New Details About Moment He Left Plane
Air India survivor stands near damaged building with airplane wreckage after tragic crash, expressing survivor guilt and loss.
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“I Feel Terrible”: Air India Crash Survivor Shares New Details About Moment He Left Plane

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The sole survivor of the Air India plane crash has shared his heartbreak over not being able to save his brother, saying he continues to grapple with survivor’s guilt.

Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, who was seated in 11A, described his survival as a “miracle” following the tragedy that claimed 279 lives.

He said he had tried to arrange two adjacent seats in row 11, near the emergency exit, so he could sit next to his brother, Ajay.

Highlights
  • Vishwash Kumar Ramesh spoke about experiencing survivor's guilt after being unable to save his brother, Ajay.
  • Vishwash, the sole survivor of the Air India crash, attempted to return to the crash site to rescue his brother.
  • He attended his brother’s funeral on Wednesday in their family’s hometown of Diu.

However, the seat next to 11A had already been taken, so Ajay ended up sitting in 11J.

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    Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, the sole survivor of the Air India crash, has opened up about dealing with survivor’s guilt

    Air India survivor's guilt shown with plane wreckage inside a damaged building and officials inspecting the site.

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    Image credits: TheProjectUnity / X

    “It’s a miracle I survived,” said the 40-year-old, as per The Sun. “I am OK physically but I feel terrible that I could not save Ajay.

    “If we had been sat together we both might have survived.

    “I tried to get two seats together but someone had already got one. Me and Ajay would have been sitting together.

    “But I lost my brother in front of my eyes. So now I am constantly thinking, ‘Why can’t I save my brother?'”

    Wreckage of Air India plane crash with smoke rising, surrounded by trees and nearby buildings visible in background.

    Image credits: SBS News / YouTube

    The survivor reportedly told his friends, “I wish I was not alive.”

    Vishwash was able to crawl through a hole in the twisted fuselage of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

    After escaping tragedy, he tried to go back to the crash site to search for his brother.

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    Vishwash was unable to save his brother, Ajay, who was traveling with him to London, England

    Two men posing together, representing Air India survivor and his brother, highlighting survivor's guilt story.

    Image credits: thesun

    Man with bandages on face carrying decorated coffin during Air India survivor's funeral procession expressing survivor's guilt.

    Image credits: CentennialMan / X

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    Vishwash told a first emergency service worker, “My family member is in there, my brother, and he’s burning to d*ath. I have to save him.”

    Satinder Singh Sandhu, the worker who led Vishwash to an ambulance, described him as looking “very disoriented and shocked.”

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    He said the survivor was limping but was able to speak despite his injuries.

    Vishwash attended his brother’s funeral on Wednesday (June 18), a day after being discharged from the hospital

    Man wrapped in a white cloth emotionally expressing survivor's guilt as Air India survivor on a street with blurred background.

    Image credits: Rajasthan Patrika / YouTube

    “I had no idea that he was a passenger on the plane and thought he was a resident of the hostel or a passer-by,” the worker stated.

    “He told the paramedics that he was flying to London when the plane fell and that he wanted to go back to save his family.”

    Vishwash attended his brother’s funeral in Gujarat on Wednesday (June 18). He appeared overcome with grief as he led the funeral procession through the streets of Diu, his family’s hometown on the western Indian coast.

    Man with bandages on face, visibly distressed, supported by others outdoors in a moment showing Air India survivor's guilt.

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    Image credits: Kisna179 / X

    Comment by Lyn Williams discussing therapy and survivor guilt related to trauma experienced by an Air India survivor.

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    Screenshot of a social media comment by Frank Hungwe describing himself as the luckiest guy of the century.

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    Vishwash and Ajay ran a fishing boat business in India, which they had inherited from their father. Vishwash was traveling to England to reunite with his wife and four-year-old child in their home in Leicester.

    “I tried to get two seats together but someone had already got one. Me and Ajay would have been sitting together,” said Vishwash

    Air India business class seat map highlighting seat A11 with survivor's guilt theme.

    Image credits: himanshu4402 / X

    Air India Flight 171 took off from Ahmedabad Airport in Gujarat on June 12 and was headed to London Gatwick Airport. Shortly after takeoff, the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed into the hostel block used by students of B. J. Medical College.

    The plane rose to 625 feet (approx. 190 m) before gradually losing altitude, and the pilot issued a mayday call, reporting a loss of power and thrust.

    Vishwash said he sensed something was wrong with the plane shortly after takeoff. He described how “the lights started flickering” after it felt “like something got stuck” to the aircraft.

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    Man speaking outdoors, expressing emotions related to Air India survivor's story and survivor's guilt experience.

    Image credits: HbonesMedia / X

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    “Everything happened in seconds,” he said, as per The Sun. “I realised we were going down.

    “The aircraft wasn’t gaining altitude and was just gliding. After that, the plane seemed to speed up, before it suddenly slammed into a building and exploded.

    “Everything was visible in front of my eyes when the crash happened.

    “I too thought that I was about to d*e, but then I opened my eyes and realised that I was still alive.”

    “I am OK physically but I feel terrible that I could not save Ajay,” the father shared

    Two men in casual clothes in a street altercation, capturing a tense moment related to Air India survivor's guilt.

    Image credits: TheGemsofX / X

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    Vishwash reacted quickly, unbuckling his seat belt after finding a way out of the aircraft.

    He shared: “Where I landed was closer to the ground and there was space too, and when my door broke, I saw that there was space. I saw an opening. I used my leg to push through that opening, and crawled out.

    Vishwash was able to crawl through a hole in the twisted fuselage of the aircraft

    Air India survivor with visible facial injuries lying down, reflecting survivor's guilt and trauma after the incident.

    Image credits: I_amMukhtar / X

    Air India survivor expressing emotions and survivor's guilt after losing his brother in a tragic event.

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    Comment by Em Montenegro expressing disbelief over survivor's fate and urging thankfulness in an online discussion.

    Vishwash’s community is mourning the loss of 14 passengers who were aboard the doomed flight.

    His brother, Ajay, was among the 279 victims of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner crash

    Man with facial injuries wearing hospital gown, speaking to DD India reporter about Air India survivor's guilt.

    Image credits: DD India / YouTube

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    Damaged Air India plane wreckage inside a building, highlighting the aftermath experienced by survivors with survivor's guilt.

    Image credits: Rishii_Bose / X

    “He is getting great support from his family and they are obviously delighted he is alive,” expressed Vishwash’s childhood friend, Bipin Bamania.

    “But they are all heartbroken as well over the loss of Ajay.

    “I am very happy that he survived but also very sad that his brother d*ed.”

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    Vishwash and Ajay ran a fishing boat business in India, which they had inherited from their father

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    The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Both black boxes, the plane’s cockpit voice recorder, and flight data recorder are being analyzed.

    As reported by the BBC, investigators will also examine pilot licenses, training records, simulator performance, and instructor remarks, including how the pilots handled scenarios like engine failures in advanced flight simulators.

    “Hope he gets help to move on and not feel that horrible guilt,” expressed one reader

    Comment about survivor guilt shared by Air India survivor expressing deep emotional pain and hope for healing and moving on.

    Michael Michellis shares thoughts on survivor’s guilt after losing his brother in the Air India plane fall tragedy.

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    Comment by Toshisuke Hayami discussing how a broken emergency door was the key reason for surviving the Air India incident.

    Comment by David Waters reflecting on survivor's guilt and memories of losing his brother in the Air India tragedy.

    Comment on Reggae Songs page about not seeing tears and someone laughing briefly, expressing survivor's guilt.

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    Comment by Jimmy Flemming about injuries from falling off a push bike, with 178 reactions including likes and laughter emojis.

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    Comment by Peter Wilson expressing shock about someone suddenly being hospitalized for days, related to Air India survivor's guilt.

    Comment by Peter Collins discussing the survivor's guilt of an Air India crash survivor near the crash site.

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    Comment saying he wasn't on the flight, displayed in a social media style with reactions visible below.

    Screenshot of a social media comment from an Air India survivor describing the moment of the plane crash and his survivor's guilt.

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    Comment by Andrew Watson saying no way was he on that plane, discussing Air India survivor's guilt and loss.

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    Screenshot of a Facebook comment by Terry Calm expressing resilience, related to Air India survivor's guilt story.

    Facebook comment by Val Mansell questioning the condition of a phone after an Air India plane fireball incident.

    Comment by Pratik Tak discussing survivor's luck and family confirmation related to Air India survivor's guilt.

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    Comment from Katie Hannah expressing skepticism about a survivor's story and mentioning survivor's guilt.

    Screenshot of a social media comment discussing survivor's guilt and an Air India passenger's experience.

    Comment by Terri Minns explaining trauma and survivor's guilt experienced by Air India survivor after tragic incident.

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    Marina Urman

    Marina Urman

    Author, Entertainment News Writer

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    With a degree in social science and a love for culture, I approach entertainment journalism at Bored Panda with a research-driven mindset. I write about celebrity news, Hollywood highlights, and viral stories that spark curiosity worldwide. My work has reached millions of readers and is recognized for balancing accuracy with an engaging voice. I believe that pop culture isn’t just entertainment, it reflects the social conversations shaping our time.

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    Marina Urman

    Marina Urman

    Author, Entertainment News Writer

    With a degree in social science and a love for culture, I approach entertainment journalism at Bored Panda with a research-driven mindset. I write about celebrity news, Hollywood highlights, and viral stories that spark curiosity worldwide. My work has reached millions of readers and is recognized for balancing accuracy with an engaging voice. I believe that pop culture isn’t just entertainment, it reflects the social conversations shaping our time.

    Donata Leskauskaitė

    Donata Leskauskaitė

    Author, Community member

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    Hey there! I'm a Visual Editor in News team. My responsibility is to ensure that you can read the story not just through text, but also through photos. I get to work with a variety of topics ranging from celebrity drama to mind-blowing Nasa cosmic news. And let me tell you, that's what makes this job an absolute blast! Outside of work, you can find me sweating it out in dance classes or unleashing my creativity by drawing and creating digital paintings of different characters that lives in my head. I also love spending time outdoors and play board games with my friends.

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    Donata Leskauskaitė

    Donata Leskauskaitė

    Author, Community member

    Hey there! I'm a Visual Editor in News team. My responsibility is to ensure that you can read the story not just through text, but also through photos. I get to work with a variety of topics ranging from celebrity drama to mind-blowing Nasa cosmic news. And let me tell you, that's what makes this job an absolute blast! Outside of work, you can find me sweating it out in dance classes or unleashing my creativity by drawing and creating digital paintings of different characters that lives in my head. I also love spending time outdoors and play board games with my friends.

    What do you think ?
    meeeeeeeeeeee
    Community Member
    5 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    How about this website stops making his life harder by posting conspiracy articles about him.

    Tonyah Mcanelly
    Community Member
    5 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The media needs to let this man heal and greive and quit hounding him for interviews . I get the whole world is curious and intrigued but he lost his brother in a horrific crash that he cant even comprehend how he survived . this poor guy needs time to process all that has happened, I hope he can heal mentally and physically

    meeeeeeeeeeee
    Community Member
    5 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    How about this website stops making his life harder by posting conspiracy articles about him.

    Tonyah Mcanelly
    Community Member
    5 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The media needs to let this man heal and greive and quit hounding him for interviews . I get the whole world is curious and intrigued but he lost his brother in a horrific crash that he cant even comprehend how he survived . this poor guy needs time to process all that has happened, I hope he can heal mentally and physically

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