Sole Air India crash survivor ‘struggling financially’ after receiving just £21k to support young family

The sole survivor of the Air India plane crash that killed 241 people has called for “honesty, transparency and answers” a year later.

Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British man whose brother died in the crash, said he was “living with significant psychological scars”.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, bound for London, crashed into a medical college after taking off from Ahmedabad Airport, killing everyone on board except Mr. Ramesh, 39.

The victims included 169 Indian passengers and 52 British nationals; this is one of the deadliest for Britons. Beyond flight AI171, 19 people died and 67 were seriously injured.

Ramesh, who has lived in Leicester for more than 20 years, previously said his brother Ajay’s death “took all my happiness away” after describing his survival as a “miracle”.

In a brief statement 12 months after the accident, he told the Press Association: “What many people perhaps do not fully understand is that the trauma did not end on the day of the disaster.

“I live with significant psychological scars, the loss of my brother, and constant unanswered questions about how and why this happened.

“I know these questions are not just on my mind; they are on the minds of every family affected.

“More than anything, people need honesty, transparency and answers. Nothing is going to change what happened, but families deserve openness.”

Investigators have not yet released their final findings regarding the cause of the crash.

In the preliminary report prepared by the Indian Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau regarding the incident, it was revealed that both fuel switches of the aircraft were turned to the “cut off” position “immediately” after takeoff and the fuel supply to the engine was stopped.

His representative Sanjiv Patel said Mr Ramesh met Air Accident Investigators in Ahmedabad in March.

Mr Patel said the crash survivor should have received £21,500 from Air India to date to support his wife and five-year-old son; This was provided as a temporary payment to all families who lost loved ones in the disaster.

He told the Press Association: “He continues to struggle physically, psychologically and financially.

“We wanted to meet the general manager of Air India many times, but this did not happen.

“We recently met with Air India executives and representatives of the Tata Group.

“These discussions were constructive and resulted in some positive progress, but some important issues are still being discussed.

“The reality is that Viswash and his family continue to face significant financial difficulties.

“Due to the physical and psychological impact of the accident he has been unable to return to work and support his family as before, leaving them currently living on less than £1,000 a month.

“They are not alone. Despite one of the worst aviation disasters involving British citizens in recent years, neither Viswash nor many of the affected families we spoke to have received any direct contact or specific support from the UK Government.”

Mr Ramesh is filing a civil lawsuit following the crash, with his lawyers saying: “We will examine every detail of the air crash investigations and expect all parties involved to act appropriately upon any findings of error, failure or negligence.”

Lawyer Paul McClorry, of Hudgell Solicitors, said civil claims were being considered against a number of potential defendants.

He said in a statement: “We have had a significant dialogue with Air India’s legal representatives and they have recently been very cooperative, providing some initial funding for much-needed physical and psychological rehabilitation support.

“We await the findings of the investigations and we should finally begin to see clarity as to how and why this terrible disaster happened and, most importantly, how it could have been prevented.

“Lessons need to be learned clearly, and for that to happen there needs to be full transparency and a willingness to accept responsibility.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been approached for comment.

A spokesperson for Air India said: “Air India is committed to supporting every individual affected by the AI171 tragedy with care and compassion. “While we cannot discuss the details of any individual case, representatives from Air India and the Tata Group met with Mr Ramesh and engaged constructively and meaningfully.

“The discussions provided insight into Mr Ramesh’s needs and concerns, providing a clearer understanding of how best to support him. We are in close contact with Mr Ramesh and his representatives and are actively working to ensure that he continues to be provided with appropriate support.”