Air India crash's sole survivor seeks welfare aid to cope with trauma
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New Delhi: Vishwas Kumar Ramesh, the sole survivor of the June 12 Air India plane crash that killed his brother alongside 242 others, seeks help to cope with trauma, India Today reported.
Vishwas had a miraculous escape from the London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner as it was going up in flames.
The plane’s crash occurred soon after taking off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
The 40-year-old British citizen of Indian heritage sought welfare package to help him and his family cope with the physical, emotional, and financial stress emanating from the crash.
Returned to his home in Leicester over a month ago, Vishwas reportedly said that he was still suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) requiring specialist medical care.
Vishwas reportedly told reporters at an event organised by Leicester community groups the crash that claimed the life of his brother Ajay was ‘very painful... I am broken’.
It is reported that he relies on his wife for mobility but spends most days confined to his room alongside the family’s fishing business in Diu collapsed after the incident, leaving them in financial distress.
Representing Vishwas, UK-based lawyer and crisis adviser Radd Seiger called upon Air India CEO Campbell Wilson to personally meet the family to assess the impact and provide ‘a comprehensive welfare package’.
Claiming that interim compensation of £21,500 provided by the airliner is insufficient to cover daily needs, Seiger said the crash ‘has had a devastating effect on the entire family, both in the UK and India. Vishwas needs urgent help, his injuries are significant, both physical and psychological.’
Air India reportedly said that ‘Senior leaders from across Tata Group continue to visit families to express their condolences. An offer has been made to Mr Ramesh’s representatives to arrange such a meeting, and we hope to receive a positive response’.
The statement further said that ‘Care for him—and indeed all families affected by the tragedy—remains our absolute priority’.
India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) in its preliminary report said that the fuel supply to the engines was cut off after take-off, causing the crash.