Is seat 11A the safest on a plane?
the experts spills
Hey there, it's Friday
We know you're used to the day feeling lighter, but sometimes the world stirs up stories that demand we pause, reflect, and feel.
Today’s story is one such moment.
But first, let’s look at the fatal Air India crash that shocked the nation yesterday…
📌 “Mayday”…“Mayday”
On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London’s Gatwick Airport, crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
There were 242 people onboard, 169 Indian nationals, 43 British, 7 Portuguese, and 1 Canadian
The flight carried 217 adults and 11 children, many of them headed home, many returning from visits, business trips, or family events. Tragically, 241 lost their lives, including former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.
Just seconds after takeoff at 1:39 p.m., air traffic control received a Mayday call. Then: complete radio silence.
The plane lost signal at 08:08:51 UTC, and within moments, it crashed outside the airport perimeter, tearing into the residential quarters and mess hall of B J Medical College and Civil Hospital.
The crash is now confirmed as India’s deadliest single-aircraft tragedy, and the first involving a Dreamliner in the country. More than 290 body bags have been recovered.
Flight operations at the airport were suspended, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi immediately deployed Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu to oversee rescue efforts.
📌 Now, about the man who survived - the ‘God’s child’
“I remember a loud noise. The pilot shouted, ‘Mayday.’ And then, heat. Fire. I don’t know how, but I jumped.”
These are the fragmented memories of Viswashkumar Ramesh, the sole confirmed survivor of Thursday’s devastating Air India crash in Ahmedabad.
Viswash’s seat, 11A, became his lifeline. His brother, sitting just across the aisle in 11J, didn’t survive.
When rescuers found him, Viswash was barefoot, bloodied, and crying for help:
“Plane fatyo che!” (The plane has exploded!)
Hours earlier, the brothers had waved goodbye to their family in Diu. They had lived in the UK for over 15 years, building a life, a business, and shared dreams. Now, Viswash lies in a guarded hospital ward, dazed and asking the question no one dares to answer:
“Where is my brother?”
“In the middle of chaos, I chose to jump. Maybe it wasn’t choice, it was survival.” - Viswashkumar Ramesh, as told to his cousin
📌 But things get weird here…
Aviation studies say the safest seats in a crash are usually in the back, especially the middle ones.
But Ramesh, who was seated near the front, still survived. He walked out barefoot through the smoke and wreckage, the only one to make it out alive.
Experts say survival isn’t just about where you sit. It also depends on how the plane crashes, how close you are to an exit, and sometimes, just pure luck.
So, that’s it for today. If you enjoyed this edition, subscribe to hear from us every day!
See ya 👋
