Thai Singer Shocked by Air India Crash Survivor’s Seat
JAMES RUANGSAK LOYCHUSAK – A Thai singer-actor who survived a plane crash in 1998 shared a surprising detail that connects him with the only survivor of the recent Air India crash. Both he and the British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh were sitting in seat 11A during their respective accidents.
James was a passenger on Thai Airways Flight TG261, which crashed in Southern Thailand in December 1998 due to bad weather while attempting to land. Out of 146 people onboard, 101 died, while 45, including James, survived with injuries. He still clearly remembers the terrifying sounds, the smell, and even the taste of the swamp water at the crash site. Even after ten years, he admits that flying still makes him anxious.
On June 12, 2025, tragedy struck again when an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed in Ahmedabad, India, just moments after takeoff. The flight, bound for London, carried 242 passengers and crew. Sadly, only one person survived: Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, who was sitting in seat 11A, located next to an emergency exit.
After hearing about the accident, James posted on Facebook, saying he was shocked and got goosebumps after learning that they had the same seat number. He also expressed his condolences to the families of the victims. His post quickly gained attention, with many netizens calling seat 11A a “miracle seat” because of the coincidence.
However, aviation experts remind the public that survival in a plane crash cannot be determined by seat numbers. Mitchell Foz from the Flight Safety Foundation explained that every crash is different, and seat location doesn’t guarantee survival. Ron Bartsch from AvLaw Aviation added that, in Ramesh’s case, sitting close to the emergency exit helped him escape, but this may not apply to every situation. Tony Cable, a senior air crash investigator, also said that damage near the exit likely allowed Ramesh to get out safely.
Experts continue to emphasize that the most effective way to increase survival chances in a crash is by carefully following the safety instructions given by flight attendants before every flight.
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