Air India plane crash's sole survivor struggles to overcome trauma, seeks psychiatric help

Vishwas Kumar Ramesh, the sole survivor of the June 12 Air India Boeing 787 crash, is now seeking psychiatric help as he grapples with the trauma of that fateful day and the loss of his brother, who was among the 241 passengers who perished.

Vishwas, a 40-year-old British citizen of Indian origin, was returning to London after visiting family in Diu when the aircraft crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad Airport. His brother Ajay was one of those killed and his remains were returned to the family on June 17 following a successful DNA match.

According to his cousin Sunny, Vishwas has found it extremely difficult to cope with the memories of the crash. “Many people, including our relatives living abroad, call us to inquire about Vishwas’s well-being. But he does not talk to anyone. He is yet to overcome the mental trauma of the crash and the death of his brother,” Sunny said.

Sunny added that Vishwas continues to suffer from severe sleep disturbances, often waking in the middle of the night and struggling to fall asleep again. “We took him to a psychiatrist two days ago to find remedy. He has not made any plans yet to return to London because his treatment has just begun,” he noted.

Vishwas was discharged from Ahmedabad Civil Hospital on June 17. In a video that circulated on social media, Vishwas is seen carrying his brother’s mortal remains on his shoulders to the cremation ground in Diu on June 18.

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A day after the crash, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the hospital and personally enquired after Vishwas’s condition. In an interview with Doordarshan, Vishwas recounted that the aircraft appeared to have stalled within seconds of take-off. He said his seat, number 11A, was near the emergency door on the left side.

“Luckily, the portion of the plane where I was seated fell on the ground floor of the (medical college) hostel premises after the plane crash- landed. When I saw that the door was broken, I told myself that I can try and get out. Eventually, I came out,” he told reporters.

A local video, captured minutes after the crash, showed Vishwas walking towards an ambulance, his survival a poignant reminder of a tragedy that continues to haunt him.

With inputs from PTI