Sole Air India Crash Survivor Mourns Brother in Diu Funeral
AHMEDABAD — Vishwashkumar Ramesh, the only person to survive last week’s deadly Air India plane crash, carried the coffin of his younger brother Ajay during a solemn funeral procession in Diu, western India.
The London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed seconds after takeoff from Ahmedabad on Thursday, killing 270 people, including passengers, crew, and residents on the ground. Ramesh, 40, survived with burns and multiple injuries. He had been seated in 11A. His brother was also on the flight but died in the wreckage.
On Wednesday, with his arm and face still bandaged, Ramesh helped carry the wooden coffin through rain-soaked streets. Their mother, dressed in a blue sari, walked behind him, surrounded by mourners. Fourteen others from Diu also perished in the crash.
Witnesses said Ramesh appeared dazed during the procession. He had spent five days in the hospital following the disaster. Emergency responders confirmed that he tried to reenter the burning plane in search of his brother before being pulled away.
Escape from the Wreckage
A video recorded at the scene shows Ramesh stumbling out of the flaming wreck, surrounded by smoke. He is guided to safety by Satinder Singh Sandhu, an ambulance supervisor who arrived within minutes of the crash.
“I saw a massive fire and thick smoke rising into the sky,” Sandhu said. “At first, I thought it was a gas blast or a car crash. Then we got the alert that it was a plane.”
Sandhu, wearing a blue turban, can be seen in the video leading Ramesh away from the debris. “He had burns, and his shirt was torn,” Sandhu recalled. “He was confused, walking in and out of the crash site. He kept saying his brother was inside.”
Another first responder, Chirag, said Ramesh told someone on a video call that his relatives were among the victims. Emergency medics rushed him to the trauma unit at a nearby hospital.
‘I Still Can’t Believe I Survived’
Speaking to media, Ramesh described his disbelief at surviving the crash. “For a moment, I felt like I was going to die too. But when I opened my eyes and looked around, I realized I was alive,” he said. “I still can’t believe how I made it out. I walked out of the rubble.”
The crash site, located near a medical college, was strewn with debris and bodies. Nearly 30 people on the ground died when the aircraft hit a residential compound for doctors.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Ramesh in the hospital over the weekend. Photos show Modi standing beside his bed as doctors monitored his condition.
Investigation Underway
Investigators have recovered the aircraft’s black box, which includes the cockpit voice recorder and flight data. Authorities are working to determine the cause of the crash.
Officials have not confirmed what triggered the accident. Weather conditions were reported to be clear at the time of takeoff. No distress signal was sent by the crew before the aircraft plunged down.
As the nation waits for answers, the story of one man’s survival amid tragedy continues to grip the public. Ramesh’s return to Diu to bury his brother has become a symbol of personal loss in a national disaster.
