Miracle survivor of Air India crash was in 11A, often called ‘most hated’ seat on flights

Vishwas Ramesh's seat 11A, often considered one of the worst on flights, became ‘lucky’ following his miraculous survival.

A 40-year-old man aboard the ill-fated Air India flight AI-171 miraculously survived the tragic crash and was seen walking away with injuries. Viswash Kumar Ramesh, seated in 11A, said he managed to jump from the Boeing 787 aircraft at the last moment.

Vishwas Ramesh, a British national, said he and his brother Ajay were headed to London after visiting family in India (HT Photo)

Still holding onto his boarding pass showing seat 11A, Ramesh recounted that trouble began barely thirty seconds after take-off, followed by a loud noise as the plane went down. Ramesh's seat number, 11A, quickly went viral, with many calling it "lucky." Ironically, past reports have often listed 11A among the most disliked seats on Boeing 737 planes.

Why is 11A most hated?

Flight attendants in American Airlines told The Sun last year that seats 11A and 11F, which are both window seats, are avoided by passengers as they can end up being the last passengers to deboard as the seat is situated in the middle of the plane.

“If you’re looking for a quick exit, avoid row 11 at all costs,” they said.

According to UNILAD Tech, when boarding a 737 aircraft, seat 11A is considered the worst seat of the aircraft as you will be stuck in the middle of the plane with no view, as this seat usually has a tiny circular window.

An expert from Flight Radar 24 said that seat 11A is often windowless thanks to Boeing's cabin air conditioning system.

A miraculous escape

Many are calling Ramesh's survival nothing short of a miracle, as images from the crash site showed towering plumes of smoke and raging fire in the aftermath.

Ramesh is a British national who was in India to visit family and was headed back to the UK along with his brother, Ajay Kumar Ramesh (45) on the Air India flight. The two brothers were seated in different rows.

“When I got up, there were bodies all around me. I was scared. I stood up and ran. There were pieces of the plane all around me. Someone grabbed hold of me and put me in an ambulance and brought me to the hospital. My brother was travelling with me and I can’t find him anymore,” he told HT.

The Air India flight carried 242 people on board, including two pilots, 10 cabin crew members, and 230 passengers.