Ruangsak Loychusak, 47, from Thailand, survived a deadly crash in 1998 after sitting in seat 11A like Air India survivor Vishwash Kumar Ramesh – but why is that position so lucky?

Ruangsak Loychusak says he had 'goosebumps' after discovering news
Ruangsak Loychusak says he had ‘goosebumps’ after discovering the news (Image: Asia Pacific Press via ViralPress)

A Thai popstar has revealed how he survived a plane crash in 1998 by sitting in the same seat as Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, who emerged as the sole survivor of the Air India disaster on Thursday. But why is position 11A so lucky?

Ruangsak Loychusak, 47, shared his eerie survival of the crash which killed 101 passengers on the Thai Airways flight TG261. He had set off from Bangkok to Surat Thani when it plummeted into a swamp. Although he no longer has his ticket, old news reports documented his brush with death at the time. Altogether, 101 out of 132 passengers and 14 crew members had died. 45 injuries were recorded after the catastrophe.

Ruangsak Loychusak, 47,

Ruangsak Loychusak has opened up about his plane crash ordeal (Image: Asia Pacific Press via ViralPress)

After hearing about the unlikely news of the seat number, Ruangsak said he had “goosebumps”. He stated: “The lone survivor of the plane crash in India was sitting in the same seat number as me, 11A. I want to offer my condolences to all those who lost loved ones in the tragedy.”

He added that nightmares of the crash plagued his life for a decade and said he suffered from breathing issues after the incident. “I had difficulty flying for 10 years after the crash. I would struggled breathing, even though the air circulation was normal.

“I avoided speaking to anyone and always stared outside the window, blocking anyone from closing it to maintain my sense of safety.

The aftermath of the deadly crash in Thailand
The aftermath of the deadly crash in Thailand (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

“If I saw dark clouds or a rainstorm outside, I would feel terrible, like I was in hell. I can still remember the sounds, smells, and even the taste of the water in the swamp the plane crashed into. For a long time, I would keep the feelings to myself.”

Over 20 years later, Ramesh survived a crash under similar circumstances and was also sat in seat 11A. Explaining how the disaster unfolded, he told DD News: “When the flight took off, within five to 10 seconds it felt like it was stuck in the air.

“Suddenly, the lights started flickering – green and white. The aircraft wasn’t gaining altitude and was just gliding before it suddenly slammed into a building and exploded.”

He added: “At first, I thought I was dead. Later, I realised I was still alive and saw an opening in the fuselage. I managed to unbuckle myself, used my leg to push through that opening, and crawled out.”

Ramesh has been hospitalised since the crash
Ramesh has been hospitalised since the crash (Image: NARENDRA MODI YOUTUBE CHANNEL/AF)

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It comes as the sole survivor of the Air India Flight 171 disaster revealed the horror moment before the plane erupted into a fireball near Ahmedabad Airport in western India during a shock crash. The plane, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft, was carrying 242 people bound for Gatwick Airport when it crashed into a college in a residential area on Thursday.

British passenger Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, the sole survivor has told how the lights “started flickering” before the aircraft hit the ground. The 40-year-old told the Hindustan Times: “When the flight took off, within five to 10 seconds it felt like it was stuck in the air.

“Suddenly, the lights started flickering – green and white – then the plane rammed into some establishment that was there.”

Can the seat position make a difference to survival?

Aviation experts said that Ramesh may have survived because he was sat next to a fire exit. Ramesh also explained the opposite side of the plane was blocked by the wall of the building that the plane crashed into.

Although sitting by an emergency door can give you an advantage, some exits are unable to operate after a crash. Ron Bartsch, Chairman at Sydney-based AvLaw Aviation Consulting, told Reuters: “In this particular instance, because the passenger was sitting adjacent to the emergency exit, this was obviously the safest seat on the day. But it’s not always 11A, it’s just 11A on this configuration of the Boeing 787.”