AI-171 left devastation behind, but two lives remind us of miracles.
On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight AI-171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner en route from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed just minutes after takeoff. The aircraft plunged into a densely populated area near Meghaninagar, causing over 265 fatalities, including those on the ground. The tragedy has been marked as India’s deadliest aviation disaster in 30 years. Yet amidst the devastation, two extraordinary survival stories have emerged: one passenger who miraculously lived through the crash, and another who survived by missing the flight.
Miracle of Seat 11A: The Only Man Pulled Alive from AI-171
Among the 242 people aboard AI-171, 241 perished. But one man survived:
Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British citizen of Indian origin, seated in 11A, was pulled out alive from the burning wreckage by rescue teams.
Doctors at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital confirmed he suffered multiple fractures, severe burns, and a head injury, but is now stable and out of critical condition. His escape has stunned even the medical staff. In a brief statement from his hospital bed, Vishwash shared: “I felt the plane wasn’t gaining altitude. It was just gliding. People were screaming… and then everything went dark.”
#WATCH | DD News held an exclusive conversation with #Vishwashkumar, the only survivor of the Ahmedabad plane crash.#planecrashahmedabad #AirIndiaFlightCrash |@neerajddnews pic.twitter.com/tGD2VOVFkr
— DD News (@DDNewslive) June 13, 2025
Rescue teams credited his survival to the angle of impact — the aircraft’s nose struck first while his section in the mid-cabin bore less immediate blast pressure. Air India later confirmed his identity and has extended full medical support. His is now being called the “Miracle of Seat 11A” — a rare human story in one of India’s darkest air tragedies.
Saved by Nine Minutes: The Woman Who Missed the Doomed Flight
While one man survived onboard, another life was saved on the ground.
Bhoomi Chauhan, a 28-year-old software engineer based in London, was booked on the same flight AI-171. However, a last-minute passport confusion at the check-in counter caused her to miss the flight by just nine minutes. Initially devastated, her sorrow turned into shock when she saw the crash reports. She posted online: “I was frustrated that I missed my flight. But when I saw the news… I couldn’t stop crying. I should’ve been on that plane.”
Her story has since gone viral on social media, with many calling her the “Luckiest Passenger in the World.” She later wrote: “Sometimes God’s delay is His protection.”
#WATCH | Bhoomi Chauhan, a resident of Gujarat's Bharuch, missed yesterday's flight, AI-171, which crashed and 241 of 242 on board, including crew members, lost their lives.
— ANI (@ANI) June 13, 2025
Bhoomi Chauhan says, "...We arrived at the check-in gate 10 minutes late, but they didn't allow me, and I… pic.twitter.com/T1AqU9SSz0
The AI-171 Air India crash has left a deep scar on India’s aviation history. But even in the ashes of tragedy, these two stories offer a glimpse of hope, fate, and the fragility of life. As investigation teams continue to uncover the cause of the crash, the names Vishwash Kumar Ramesh and Bhoomi Chauhan will remain etched in public memory — not just as survivors, but as symbols of life that refused to give in.
