Man Who Survived 1998 Plane Crash Stunned to Learn Air India Lone Survivor Also Sat in Seat 11A

A Thai singer who survived a devastating plane crash in 1998 says he was left with “goosebumps” after learning that the sole survivor of the recent Air India tragedy had been sitting in the same seat number — 11A — as he was during his own brush with death.

Ruangsak Loychusak, now 47, was a passenger on Thai Airways flight TG261 when it crashed while trying to land in Surat Thani, killing 101 of the 146 people on board. His seat at the time, 11A, was documented in newspaper reports following the disaster.

On June 12, 2025, Air India flight AI117 crashed into buildings shortly after takeoff in Ahmedabad, killing 243 people. The only survivor, British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, was seated in 11A.

“The lone survivor of the plane crash in India was sitting in the same seat number as me, 11A,” Ruangsak said. “I want to offer my condolences to all those who lost loved ones in the tragedy.”

Ruangsak spoke of the lasting trauma from his own experience, including a decade-long fear of flying, panic at the sight of dark clouds, and vivid memories of the crash.

Ramesh, who was ejected from the aircraft before it exploded, is recovering in hospital. He described unbuckling his seatbelt, escaping the wreckage, and watching others die around him. His seat, next to an emergency exit, detached during the crash — a detail that may have contributed to his survival.