'I Live With Scars': Sole Survivor Seeks Transparency And Answers A Year After Air India Crash

Published 11 June 2026 · local

'I Live With Scars': Sole Survivor Seeks Transparency And Answers A Year After Air India Crash Published By, Last Updated: June 11, 2026, 17:53 IST

'I Live With Scars': Sole Survivor Seeks Transparency And Answers A Year After Air India Crash Published By, Last Updated: June 11, 2026, 17:53 IST One year after surviving the AI-171 crash, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh says he is still battling trauma and financial hardship while awaiting answers on the disaster. Wreckage of the crashed Air India plane (L)/the lone survivor of the crash (R) (Photos: PTI) A year after the devastating Air India AI-171 crash that claimed 260 lives, the lone survivor of the disaster, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, has called for “honesty, transparency and answers" from investigators and authorities, saying the trauma of the incident continues to affect him physically, psychologically and financially. According to a report by The Independent, citing statements made to the Press Association, Ramesh said the impact of the crash did not end on the day of the tragedy. “What many people perhaps don’t fully appreciate is that the trauma didn’t end on the day of the disaster," Ramesh said. “I live with the significant psychological scars, the loss of my brother, and the constant unanswered questions around how and why this happened." Ramesh was the sole survivor of the Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crash that occurred shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025, while operating a London-bound flight.

His brother Ajay was among those who died in the accident. “I know those questions are not just on my mind. They are on the minds of every affected family," he said. “More than anything, people need honesty, transparency and answers. Nothing will ever change what happened, but families deserve clarity." While investigators are yet to publish their final findings on the crash, a preliminary report by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) had found that both fuel switches on the aircraft moved to the “cut-off" position immediately after take-off, interrupting fuel supply to the engines. Ramesh reportedly met air accident investigators in Ahmedabad in March as part of the ongoing probe. His representative, Sanjiv Patel, told the Press Association that the survivor had so far received £21,500 (approximately Rs 25 lakh) from Air India, the same interim payment offered to families who lost loved ones in the crash. “He continues to struggle physically, psychologically and financially," Patel said. “The reality is that Viswash and his family continue to face significant financial hardship." Patel added that because of the physical and psychological effects of the crash, Ramesh has been unable to return to work and support his wife and five-year-old son as he did before.