Air India crash, a year later | Man in 11A: ‘Won’t be at peace, I have to live with what I lost’

A British citizen with roots in Diu, Vishwas spoke exclusively to The Indian Express in an interaction over phone facilitated by his personal representative and advisor Sanjiv Patel, a motivational speaker  based in Leicester. Having lost his 35-year-old brother Ajay in the crash, Vishwas says he is hoping for some relief from the “final investigation report”, which he insists “is necessary”. “It will help us know what happened, and ensure this does not happen again,” he says.

A month after the crash, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released a preliminary report stating that the aircraft’s engine fuel control switches transitioned from the “Run” to “Cutoff” position almost immediately after liftoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. These switches control the flow of jet fuel to the engines.

Last month, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said the final investigation report was in its “final stages” and could be completed within a month, possibly by Friday’s one-year mark.

Vishwas credits his family and Patel for keeping him going through the healing process. “I get the strength to deal with the sorrow and shock because of my family and cooperation from Sanjivbhai,” he says.

Vishwas’s family ran a fishing business in Diu before most of them moved to the UK. The eldest of four brothers, he lives in Leicester with his wife Hiral, their five-year-old son Divang, his parents Rameshbhai and Jayaben, and youngest brother Nayan. His third brother Sunny is based in Diu.

On the day of the crash, Vishwas was seated near the emergency exit when the aircraft slammed into the hostel buildings of BJ Medical College, breaking into three parts. Thrown clear of the wreckage, he was found walking by emergency services personnel, who took him to Ahmedabad Civil Hospital.

However, traumatised by the loss of Ajay, who was a few seats away from Vishwas on that flight, the family reached out to Patel for support. Patel, who is associated with the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan (BAPS) Sanstha, helped organise a prayer meeting for victims’ families on June 15 last year — the Sunday after the crash. The meet was also attended by the representative of King Charles and Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire Michael Kapur.

“The shraddhanjali was done in a very dignified way. Vishwas’s uncle Maheshbhai is a senior figure in the community and they reached out to me,” Patel says, adding that he is also helping at least a dozen British families who lost loved ones in the crash, including with “paperwork”. In all 260 people, including 52 British citizens, were killed — 19 of them on the hostel premises.

“It can’t be explained in words… you can’t shake this off because of the experience they have been through, including dealing with the anxiety. Trauma is a day-to-day thing for him (Vishwas),” says Patel, who is helping the family pro bono.

The family received an interim compensation of Rs 25 lakh from Air India — as did other victims’ families — and Air India is also paying for Vishwas’s treatment. “So many families are just living with the consequences. It is not just the physical impact or the trauma, but the impact on the whole family,” says Patel.

Vishwas’s family is also being assisted by UK-based firm Hudgell Solicitors. On what they expect from Air India going forward, Patel says, “We appreciate the medical assistance provided so far, and beyond that, what we are seeking is fair financial support that reflects the ongoing impact on Vishwas’s life. Our hope is for a resolution that helps him regain financial stability and security for his family as they navigate this difficult journey.”