The Air India Crash near Ahmedabad this week was a tragedy — 229 people died and only one person walked away alive. His seat number? 11A. That spot, close to the emergency exit, is now making headlines across the world.
The 40-year-old survivor, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, was sitting in 11A when the Boeing 787-8 fell from the sky just after takeoff. His survival seemed nothing short of a miracle.
Aviation expert Angad Singh explained to NDTV, “Statistically, seats at the back or the very front often show lower fatality rates. But in this Air India Crash, seat 11A — in the middle — was the luckiest spot. It was pure chance, a fluke. There’s no hard and fast rule for safely choosing seats.”
In other words, when it comes to a crash, it’s less about your seat and more about pure luck.
Inside The Crash: Why 11A Was So Lucky
Picture a massive fireball. The aircraft broke upon impact. The seats in the first row of the economy cabin — seats like 11A — fell forward and opened up a path for a person to escape.
Vishwash walked away with minor injuries and a few burns, while nearly everyone else died. “I opened my seatbelt and walked away. The airhostess and the people around me were gone. It felt like a nightmare come true — but I made it alive against all odds.”
Aviation expert Mitchell Fox explained in this Reuters report that seats at the back sometimes have a 40% higher survival rate in many accidents — although this wasn’t true here. “Every crash is unique. There’s no perfect seat. Sometimes it’s pure luck.”
Why There’s No “Safest” Seat On A Plane
Some say seats at the back, or close to exits, might be a bit safer. But this Air India Crash shows us it’s not a guarantee. Each incident depends on numerous factors — from the angle of impact to where the fire starts.
“It’s kind of a lottery. There are no guarantees in a plane, just pure randomness sometimes.” — Angad Singh
So the next time you fly, choosing 11A or a rear seat might ease your mind, but it’s not a magic solution. Air travel is incredibly safe overall — accidents are extremely rare — but when something goes tragically wrong, survival can come down to pure chance.
As Vishwash Kumar Ramesh said, “I opened my eyes, and I was alive. That’s a blessing you can’t plan for.”
