Seat 11A Saves Again: Thai Plane Crash Survivor Stunned by Air India Miracle

In a story that feels like something out of a movie, a Thai plane crash survivor from 1998, Ruangsak Loychusak, has shared his shock and emotions after learning that the only survivor of a recent Air India crash was sitting in the same seat he once occupied — seat 11A.

Ruangsak, a well-known Thai singer and actor, survived a horrific plane crash 27 years ago. Thai Airways flight TG261 crashed while trying to land in Surat Thani after leaving Bangkok. 

The plane plunged into a swamp, killing 101 out of 146 people onboard. Ruangsak was one of the lucky 45 survivors — and he was sitting in seat 11A.

Now 47 years old, the Thai plane crash survivor was stunned to read that in a recent crash involving an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner in Ahmedabad, India, the only person who survived was also sitting in seat 11A. The survivor was a 40-year-old British national, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh.

Ruangsak took to his Facebook page on Thursday, June 12, 2025, to share his disbelief.

“I had goosebumps when I saw it. 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 wrote.

Although Ruangsak no longer has the boarding pass from his 1998 flight, reports from that time confirm he was indeed seated in 11A.

READ ALSO: Air India Plane Crash: Death Toll Rises to 265 as Search for Victims Continues

In an interview with the Bangkok Post, he opened up about the emotional wounds the crash left behind. For years after the crash, flying became a major challenge.

“I lived a second life after the crash. For 10 years, I had a hard time flying. My breathing would become difficult even when the air was fine. I didn’t talk much on flights and always stared out of the window. I wouldn’t let anyone close it; it made me feel unsafe,” he recalled.

Ruangsak also spoke about how vivid his memories of the crash remain, even decades later.

“The sound of the crash, the smell of burning, even the taste of the swamp water, I remember it all. I carried it with me in silence for years. If I saw dark clouds or a rainstorm outside, I would feel terrible, like I was in hell,” he said.

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