Ahmedabad: For nearly a year, people around the world have wondered what saved Viswashkumar Ramesh, the lone survivor of the AI171 crash that killed the other 241 people on board. An internal assessment by Gujarat police has found that Ramesh survived due to a rare combination of factors: he was ejected from seat 11A beside an emergency exit and landed behind a 10-foot-high mud embankment created due to construction activity, moments before the Boeing 787 Dreamliner exploded into flames.
Key Factors in Survival
Sources familiar with the assessment said Ramesh was thrown clear of the aircraft while still strapped to his seat when the fuselage broke apart on impact. “The mound acted as a shield between him and the aircraft. It protected him from the direct impact of the fireball, heat and flames generated by the explosion,” another source familiar with the development said.
Reconstruction of Events
Assessors reconstructed the sequence of events using CCTV footage and other evidence gathered from the crash site. According to sources, the aircraft’s rear section struck the BJ Medical College hostel-mess complex shortly after losing altitude following take-off from Ahmedabad airport. The impact caused the fuselage to break apart in the middle. “Ramesh was seated at 11A, adjacent to an emergency exit. When the aircraft broke apart, the force of the impact threw him out while he was still strapped to his seat,” the source added.
Assessors believe Ramesh and his seat were flung about 50 feet from the wreckage before landing in a muddy patch near the crash site. Within moments, the aircraft’s forward section slammed into the hostel complex and exploded. By then, Ramesh had landed behind a mud embankment created by ongoing construction and landscaping work.
Injuries and Aftermath
Sources said Ramesh escaped with a dislocated shoulder and minor facial injuries. He was later shifted to Ahmedabad Civil Hospital for treatment. Assessors have also obtained another video of the crash recorded from the opposite side of the aircraft, adding a fresh perspective on the impact sequence, sources said.
Ramesh’s younger brother, Ajay, who was travelling with him, died in the crash. After returning to the UK in September last year to reunite with his wife and young son, Ramesh has continued to grapple with physical injuries, emotional trauma and financial hardship.
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