Sole survivor of Air India crash says 'I'm alone' as he breaks silence on tragic flight
Sole survivor of Air India crash says 'I'm alone' as he breaks silence on tragic flight
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Sole survivor of Air India crash says 'I'm alone' as he breaks silence on tragic flight

Stephanie Balloo 🕒︎ 2025-11-06

Copyright birminghammail

Sole survivor of Air India crash says 'I'm alone' as he breaks silence on tragic flight

The sole survivor of the Air India crash has opened up on the physical and mental aftermath of the tragedy in a heart-breaking new interview. Speaking to ITV News, Midland dad-of-one Vishwashkumar Ramesh told how he no longer talks to his friends or family, and is "just alone, living in my room, sitting on my bed." The father, who has a four-year-old son, said he was not "giving time" to his boy after the crash that killed 260 people. He and his family have been left broken following the death of Vishwash's younger brother - who died on board the flight. Read more: Man and woman arrested as police find stolen Audi and knife The Air India 171 flight crashed just 32 seconds after take off on June 12 this year. Vishwash had been in India helping his brother Ajay with their fishing business before they both took the same flight home. During take-off the Boeing 787 Dreamliner lost altitude and crashed into the B. J. Medical College in Ahmedabad. In total 241 people on board died - 168 Indian nationals and 53 British people. On the ground a further 19 people were killed and 67 injured. As smoke billowed out of the surrounding buildings, Vishwash, wearing one shoe and covered in blood, miraculously walked away, and tried to phone his father back in Leicester. Witnesses at the time said Vishwash tried to find his brother when he realised what happened, but Ajay never made it off the plane. Speaking to ITV News on life now, he said: "It’s completely different, after this tragedy. Physically, mentally… I lost my younger brother. My whole family broke down, completely. In the last four months, I’m not talking with my friends, my family.” Of his son, he added: “I’m not talking much with him. I’m just alone, living in my room, sitting on my bed.” He adds “he likes to spend time with me. But I’m not giving time to him. Because mentally, I’m completely…” Asked how he feels about people describing his survival as a miracle, he told ITV News: “It feels good, but at the same time, I lost my brother on the same flight.” Vishwash has chosen now to speak out as he needs more support from Air India. During the ITV News interview Vishwash was sitting between his friend Sanjiv Patel, a family advisor, and Radd Seiger, a legal advisor, both there to help guide him through what he wanted to say. He described how he often gets flashbacks and when asked to describe them, he simply couldn’t answer what he sees or hears. Asking him to describe what happened that day was clearly too painful, and what was more important for him was to share how his life has changed now and what he needs from Air India. Radd Seiger explains: “It isn’t difficult advice to give [to Air India]. Go and meet - not your junior people - the CEO, or the leadership team. Build an outreach programme. He’s the sole survivor. Sit with him for half an hour and listen to his suffering, and his family’s suffering and then you can deploy your resources accordingly." In a statement Air India told ITV News: “ We are deeply conscious of our responsibility to provide Mr Ramesh with support through what must have been an unimaginable period. Care for him - and indeed all families affected by the tragedy - remains our absolute priority. "Senior leaders from across Tata Group continue to visit families to express their deepest condolences. An offer has been made to Mr Ramesh’s representatives to arrange such a meeting, we will continue to reach out and we very much hope to receive a positive response. "We are keenly aware this continues to be an incredibly difficult time for all affected and continue to offer the support, compassion, and care we can in the circumstances.”

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