Sole Air India crash survivor battles injuries and PTSD

Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, the sole survivor of a June 12 crash of an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner that was bound for London, says he considers himself fortunate to be alive but is living with severe physical injuries, post-traumatic stress and the loss of his younger brother. The plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, killing more than 240 people on board and at least 19 people on the ground when it struck a medical college hostel, according to official accounts and preliminary investigation findings.

Ramesh, 39, who returned to his home in Leicester after being discharged from hospital in India, has described the escape as a miracle. He said he was seated in exit row 11A, felt the aircraft falter and was able to unbuckle, push through an opening and crawl out as fire and smoke consumed parts of the fuselage. Footage of him walking away from the wreckage with blood on his face and shirt circulated widely after the accident.

A preliminary report by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau said fuel supply to the engines was cut off seconds after takeoff, contributing to the catastrophic loss of power. The impact damaged nearby buildings and tore through a...