A remarkable story of survival emerged from India on June 12, 2025, when Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad. The tragic incident resulted in 241 fatalities, including all passengers and crew on board and several individuals on the ground.

However, one passenger, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old British national of Indian origin, miraculously survived. Seated in 11A, he managed to escape through a broken emergency exit, sustaining only minor injuries. His brother, Ajaykumar Ramesh, was seated across the aisle in 11J and did not survive. Vishwash’s survival has been termed the “miracle of seat 11A” by British media.

Speaking from his hospital bed, Ramesh recounted that shortly after takeoff, the lights flickered and the plane felt like it was “stuck in the air” before slamming into a building and exploding.

Ramesh described witnessing people die around him and said he still couldn’t believe he survived. His section of the aircraft landed near the ground, away from the impact site, allowing him to escape through a break in the fuselage. He unbuckled himself, used his leg to push through the opening, and crawled out.

The crash killed all other 240 passengers and crew, including 169 Indian and 52 British nationaore than 200 bodies have been recovered. The aircraft hit accommodation for medical staff at a hospital in Ahmedabad.

A black box has been recovered to aid the investigation into the cause of the crash.

The crash occurred shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, with the aircraft losing signal moments after departure and plummeting into a residential area. At least 50 medical students in a hostel hit by the aircraft were hospitalized, and 41 people were injured.

An investigation is underway, with authorities focusing on potential faults in the engine, flaps, and landing gear. Enhanced maintenance checks have been ordered for Air India’s Boeing 787 fleet, and compensation and support are being provided to victims’ families.

Another miracle survivor is being reported by BBC.

Bhoomi Chauhan, a 28-year-old student from Bristol, narrowly escaped death when she missed Air India Flight AI171 by just 10 minutes due to severe traffic in Ahmedabad. She had been visiting India and was returning home via the now-fatal flight, which crashed shortly after takeoff, killing all 241 people on board and at least eight on the ground.

Chauhan arrived at the airport at 12:20 PM, just after boarding began, but despite having checked in online, staff denied her entry. Frustrated, she and her husband left the airport and were discussing a refund over tea when she received the shocking news that the plane had crashed.

Reflecting on her experience, she called it “totally a miracle,” expressing initial anger and disappointment at missing the flight—emotions that quickly turned to stunned gratitude. Her assigned seat was 36G. The only known survivor of the crash was another British passenger, Vishwashkumar Ramesh.

The disaster has prompted grief among families, emergency response efforts, and investigations into what went wrong.