Nearly four and a half months after the June 12 crash of Air India flight AI 171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, the only survivor said he continues to struggle with severe physical injuries, financial hardship, and deep emotional trauma.
Vishwashkumar Ramesh, who was seated in 11A near the emergency exit, escaped the burning wreckage that killed 241 of the 242 people on board. His younger brother, Ajaykumar, seated in 11J, was among those killed.
Lone Survivor Says He Can Barely Walk
After brief treatment in India, Ramesh returned to the UK on September 15, but says he has yet to receive psychiatric care from the NHS. Now living in Leicester, he can barely walk, cannot drive, and spends most of his time in isolation. “Mentally, I have completely broken down,” he says.
The family’s fishing business in Diu, which he ran with his brother, has collapsed, leaving them without income. His wife’s universal credit payments were also suspended when she travelled to India after the crash.
Air India has offered an interim compensation of Rs 25 lakh, to be adjusted against the final settlement, an amount Ramesh calls inadequate given his long-term medical and living costs in the UK.
‘Air India, UK Officials Failed To Provide Support’
Community leader Sanjiv Patel and crisis adviser Radd Seiger, who are assisting the family, allege that both Air India and UK authorities have failed to provide adequate and timely support. Seiger says repeated requests for a meeting with Air India’s top management have gone unanswered.
In a statement, Air India said it remains “deeply conscious” of its responsibility toward Ramesh and all affected families. The airline added that senior Tata Group leaders have already met with families and that an offer to meet Ramesh’s representatives “remains open.”
For now, Ramesh is focused on pain management and mental health recovery as he grieves his brother and tries to rebuild life amid uncertainty.
