Seat number 11A and a Miracle: British Passenger’s Narrow Escape in Air India Crash
Amid the harrowing tragedy of Air India flight AI171’s crash near Ahmedabad on Thursday afternoon, one detail stands out like a miracle—seat number 11A. It was from this very seat that 38-year-old British national Ramesh Vishwaskumar Bucharvada emerged alive, the sole survivor among 242 people aboard the ill-fated aircraft.
Bucharvada, who hails originally from Gujarat but now resides in the UK, had been traveling to London Gatwick aboard the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. Seat 11A, according to aircraft configuration site Aerolopa, is a window seat placed in the first row of the Economy cabin—on the right-hand side, just behind the emergency exit door and two rows ahead of the wings. Aviation experts often say that seats near emergency exits may offer marginal advantages during evacuations, but in this case, it was nothing short of providence.
Shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:39 pm IST, the flight reached an altitude of just 625 feet before losing contact with air traffic control. Within seconds, it plummeted and crashed into a student hostel building of B.J. Medical College and Hospital in the densely populated Meghaninagar area of Ahmedabad, erupting into flames and chaos.
In the aftermath, mobile footage circulated online showing a visibly injured Bucharvada staggering away from the crash site toward an ambulance. Bloodied and disoriented, he was surrounded by locals trying to help. Speaking in his native Gujarati, he uttered just two words that captured the horror: “The plane exploded.” When asked about other passengers, his voice faltered as he said, “They are back there inside.”
Ahmedabad Police Commissioner G.S. Malik confirmed Bucharvada’s extraordinary escape. “We have found only one survivor. He was in seat 11A and has been shifted to a hospital. His condition is stable, and he is under treatment,” Malik told reporters. He further added that the death toll is likely to rise given the crash location and the force of the impact.
𝗠𝗶𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻. 𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘃𝗼𝗿: 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗵𝘄𝗮𝘀𝗵 𝗞𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗿 𝗥𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀𝗵.
How He Survived:
•His seat location and swift reaction played a crucial role.
•Despite horrific conditions, his fortitude and slight physical luck enabled him to walk… pic.twitter.com/B18Y3jaERK— Manisha Rajput 🇮🇳⚔️ (@manisharajput55) June 12, 2025
Union Home Minister while visting the crash site also went to meet him in the hospital.
The plane was carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew members. Eyewitnesses on the ground described a deafening roar followed by a fireball. Emergency response teams, including fire brigades, police, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and even units from the Indian Army, rushed to the scene. Rescue operations continued well into the night, as charred debris and remains were recovered.
|Also Read : Two Cabin Crew From Manipur Dead |
Aviation safety investigators are now trying to piece together what caused the nearly new Dreamliner—part of Air India’s long-haul fleet—to falter within moments of takeoff. Preliminary radar and flight data indicate that the aircraft never stabilized at cruising altitude, hinting at a possible mechanical failure or sudden system malfunction.
For now, amid the nation’s grief, seat 11A has become a symbol of survival against impossible odds. Ramesh Bucharvada’s miraculous escape offers a lone thread of hope in what is otherwise one of the darkest days for Indian aviation in recent years.
Also Read : I got up and ran’: Lone survivor on miraculous escape from Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad |
