Lone survivor of Air India AI171 crash still awaits mental health support, struggles to rebuild life

The Air India plane headed to London crashed soon after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad on June 12.

Four-and-a-half months after the June 12 crash of Air India flight AI 171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, the lone survivor, 39-year-old Vishwashkumar Ramesh, continues to battle injuries, trauma, and financial hardship.

Ramesh, who was seated in 11A beside the emergency exit, miraculously escaped the burning wreckage that claimed 241 lives, 230 passengers and 12 crew members. His younger brother, Ajaykumar, seated in 11J, was among those killed. “Mentally, I have completely broken down,” Ramesh said, as reported by The Times of India.

After a brief treatment in India, Ramesh returned to the UK on September 15. Despite multiple referrals, he says he has not yet received psychiatric care through the National Health Service (NHS), the report further said. He remains unable to walk without pain, cannot drive, and has become increasingly isolated at his Leicester home.

The family’s fishing business in Diu, which Ramesh ran with his late brother, has collapsed, leaving them without income. His wife’s universal credit payments were suspended after she travelled to India for two months following the crash.

Air India has made an interim payment of £21,500 (Rs 25 lakh), which will be adjusted against the final compensation amount. Ramesh has called the offer “inadequate” given the high cost of living in the UK and his ongoing medical needs.

Community leader Sanjiv Patel and crisis adviser Radd Seiger, who are supporting Ramesh, say both Air India and UK authorities have failed to provide timely or tailored support. “Repeated requests for a meeting with Air India’s top leadership have gone unanswered,” Seiger said.

Responding to the concerns, an Air India spokesperson said the airline remains “deeply conscious” of its responsibility to Ramesh and all affected families. The spokesperson added that senior Tata Group leaders have already met families of the victims and that an offer to arrange a meeting with Ramesh’s representatives “remains open, with outreach continuing.”

For now, Ramesh’s focus is on physical recovery, pain management, and seeking mental health support,  while mourning his brother and facing an uncertain future.