New Delhi: A unique coincidence has emerged from the wreckage of the Air India Express Flight AI171 crash. Ruangsak Loychusak, a 47-year-old Thai actor-singer who miraculously survived a Thai Airways crash 27 years ago, discovered that Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, the sole survivor of the Ahmedabad tragedy, occupied the same seat, 11A, on their respective doomed flights.
Ruangsak’s near-death experience occurred on December 11, 1998, when Thai Airways Flight TG261 crashed into a swamp during a landing attempt in southern Thailand, resulting in 101 fatalities among 146 passengers. The young Ruangsak, only 20 at the time, survived. He expressed shock and a sense of unease upon learning about the Air India crash and the survival of Ramesh, seated in the very same seat he occupied decades prior. He shared his reaction on Facebook, simply stating, “Survivor of a plane crash in India. He sat in the same seat as me. 11A.”
The Air India Express flight, a Boeing Dreamliner, crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport on Thursday, claiming 241 of the 242 lives on board. Ramesh, a British national, was the lone survivor. Ruangsak, while lacking his original boarding pass from the 1998 crash, confirmed his seat number through newspaper archives.
Ruangsak, who openly discussed his past trauma and survivor’s guilt, reportedly avoided flying for a decade after his initial ordeal. He describes his life since the crash as a “second life,” extending his condolences to the families of the victims in the Air India tragedy.
Ramesh’s escape, amplified by the eerie coincidence, has captivated global attention. Seated near an emergency exit, he was ejected from the aircraft upon impact. Despite suffering multiple injuries, he managed to walk away from the wreckage and seek help. Talking to DD News, he expressed disbelief at his survival, stating, “For some time, I thought I was also going to die. But when I opened my eyes, I realised I was alive and I tried to unbuckle myself from the seat and escape from where I could.”
The shared experience of surviving a plane crash while occupying the same seat has sparked significant public fascination, particularly on social media, where interest in booking emergency exit seats, and seat 11A specifically, has surged.
