One year after the crash of Air India flight AI-171, the disaster's lone survivor, Vishwas Kumar Ramesh, has spoken about the emotional and psychological challenges he continues to face despite surviving the accident that claimed 260 lives. In a statement marking the first anniversary of the crash, Kumar said that while many people view him as a symbol of survival, they often do not see the difficulties he continues to experience.
"People see that I've survived, but they don't always see the challenges that continue behind closed doors," he said. "I still struggle with sleep, anxiety and difficult memories."
The Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025, while operating a flight to London Gatwick. The aircraft went down near the BJ Medical College campus, killing 241 of the 242 people on board and 19 people on the ground. Kumar was the only passenger to survive.
His brother, Ajay Kumar Ramesh, who was travelling with him, died in the crash.
Reflecting on the past year, Kumar said that surviving the accident was only part of his journey. "I'm grateful to be alive, but survival is only part of the story. What I've faced since then has been far more difficult than I can put into words," he said.
Images of Kumar walking away from the crash site with injuries became widely circulated in the immediate aftermath of the disaster. Speaking from hospital shortly after the accident, he described waking up among wreckage and victims before escaping the scene. Over the past year, Kumar has spoken about the lasting emotional impact of the crash, including recurring memories, anxiety and difficulties adjusting to life after the tragedy. According to people close to him, he has also faced challenges returning to normal life and coping with the loss of his brother.
The crash reportedly also created financial difficulties for the family, as Kumar and his brother had invested in a fishing business in India before the accident. Meanwhile, authorities continue to investigate the cause of the crash. A preliminary report released last year stated that the fuel control switches for both engines moved from the RUN position to CUTOFF shortly after take-off, cutting off fuel supply to the engines. The report also referred to a cockpit exchange in which one pilot questioned why the fuel had been cut off, while the other denied doing so.
Investigators are expected to release a status update on the probe, though it is not anticipated to provide a final conclusion regarding the cause of the accident. TheAI-171 crash remains one of India's deadliest aviation disasters in recent years, and the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy is ongoing.
Sources: Hindustan Times
