Air India plane crash to 'internal decapitation' - 5 times people cheated death
WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT. As the story of the story of Air India Flight 171 survivor Vishwash Ramesh leaves people stunned, the Mirror takes a look at five other cases of individuals who have survived against all odds
People from all around the world have been fascinated by the story of Vishwash Ramesh, the British passenger who walked away from the site of the Air India Flight 171 with just a few minor injuries.
The 40-year-old Londoner had been on the doomed Boeing jet when it crashed shortly after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in western India. It was initially assumed that all 242 people onboard had perished, but then, Vishwash emerged from the wreckage, revealing how the section of the plane he had been seated in landed on the ground, rather than hitting the roof of a building.
Tragically, it's believed Vishwash, who had been travelling with his brother Ajay Kumar Ramesh, 45, is the sole survivor of a disaster which has sent shockwaves across the world. A total of 270 bodies were recovered from the crash site over the weekend, 241 of which had been on the plane when it nosedived into a medical college in a residential area of Ahmedabad. The other victims would have been on the ground when the terror unfolded.
As remarkable as Vishwash's story undoubtedly is, he isn't the only person to have survived when all hope appeared to have been lost. Here, the Mirror takes a look at five instances when individuals appeared to cheat death itself under extraordinary circumstances.
Shannon Malloy
On January 25, 2007, a Nebraska resident by the name of Shannon Malloy suffered 'internal decapitation' after a car crash sent her slamming into the dashboard. The then 30-year-old woman was left without control over her own head after her skull became separated from her spine, but amazingly survived the horror incident without paralysis.
In an interview with Denver station KMGH-TV, Dr. Gary Ghiselli, an orthopaedic spine surgeon from the Denver Spine Centre, revealed that he had never seen such an injury in a person still living. Shannon's loved ones were advised that they should prepare for the worst, but, to the wonder of medics, she stayed alive long enough for screws to be inserted in her head and neck, while a halo was attached to minimise movement.
Shannon recalled: "My skull slipped off my neck about five times. Every time they tried to screw this to my head, I would slip.'
As well as her neck injury, Shannon suffered a fractured skull, a bleed to the brain, and nerve damage, which left her cross-eyed. Medics view the fact that she was able to survive at all as a "miracle". Dr Ghiselli remarked: "It really is a miracle. I've seen this type of injury once before. Unfortunately, the patient didn't make it. It's a miracle that Shannon survived the actual accident. It's a miracle that she's made the progress she has."
Vesna Vulovic
On January 26, 1972, the doomed JAT Yugoslav Airlines Flight 367, which had been travelling between Stockholm in Sweden and Belgrade in Serbia, exploded above the mountains of the Czech Republic, breaking into three pieces.
The Czechoslovak Civil Aviation Authority later determined that this was caused by a briefcase bomb which had been placed in the baggage compartment; however, no arrests were ever made.
Almost all of those who'd been onboard that day, some 27 passengers and crew, died in the catastrophe. To the astonishment of all those who read about the story at the time, however, one young woman managed to survive against all odds - a 23-year-old flight attendant by the name of Vesna Vulovic.
Vesna plunged 33,333 feet (10,160 metres; 6.31 miles) to the snowy ground below, a feat that would later earn her a Guinness World Record for the highest fall she had ever survived without a parachute. Her terrified screams thankfully reached the ears of heroic woodsman Bruno Honke, who rescued her from the debris field.
The stewardess was taken to the hospital, where she slipped into a coma for 10 days. It was found that she'd suffered a fractured skull, two crushed vertebrae, and breaks to her pelvis, ribs and both legs. Her survival naturally left doctors baffled, and it was concluded that her being pinned down by a food cart at the tail end of the fuselage had ultimately offered her some protection.
Although initially paralysed from the waist down, Vesna went on to make a near-full recovery and became something of a celebrity and symbol of resilience in Serbia. Many, understandably, also viewed her as extremely lucky. She once told The New York Times: "People always want to sit next to me on the plane."
Ludger Sylbaris
On May 7, 1902, labourer Ludger Sylbaris was thrown into a solitary cell in a prison in the vibrant port city of Saint-Pierre, Martinique, then referred to as the 'Paris of the West Indies', after getting himself into a brawl. Although at the time, it was no doubt vexing to be trapped in a half-underground cell, this positioning ultimately proved fortuitous, with the events that transpired next ultimately earning him the nickname "the man who lived through Doomsday".
As Ludger languished in his dungeon-like cell, with a narrow slit in the door offering the only view out, the Mt. Pelée volcano, which loomed over the cosmopolitan city, exploded, killing almost 30,000 residents. There was no escape for those caught in the 1,075-degree pressure wave, which destroyed every building, ship, and human being in its path.
Even those who sought refuge in shelters were not safe, with their lungs burned from the inside out as oxygen was replaced with lethal gases. In his isolated stone cell, Ludger was afforded a degree of protection that those walking free sadly didn't have.
As detailed by Historic Mysteries, Ludger did suffer horrific burns after the inside of his cell rapidly heated up to 1000 degrees. However, he was able to avoid breathing in the toxic air by urinating on his clothes and using them to plug up the door grating.
It would be four long days before rescuers came to his aid. By then, Saint-Pierre was in ruins, with only a handful of survivors having weathered the destruction. With the city where he'd lived and worked now a ghost town, Ludger was forced to begin again. He went on to find celebrity status after joining up with the Barnum & Bailey circus, where punters were captivated by his incredible tale of survival.
Martunis
Little Martunis was just seven years old when he survived the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami, which saw a 30 m (100 ft) high wave wreak devastation along coastal areas of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, and Thailand.
At least 225,000 people across 11 countries died in the tragedy, including Martunis' own mother and sisters. Recalling that terrible day in December 2024, 20 years on, Martunis remembered: 'I was playing football with my friends when suddenly an earthquake struck.
"I rushed home and gathered with my mother, older sister, and younger sister, and we hugged each other. Then someone shouted that the sea water was rising and I ran together with my mother, my little sister and older sister."
The family desperately attempted to escape in a pickup truck, but when it overturned, they got separated. Martunis, now 27, shared: "At that moment, I picked up my little sister and handed her to my mother.
"I also picked up my older sister and helped her when she was drowning in the water. I tried to lift my sisters who were drowning, but we got separated. "I found myself on a mattress. As the mattress started to sink, I grabbed onto a school bench, but that also sank.
"Then I saw a coconut. I hugged it like hugging a football until I climbed onto another mattress. I passed out several times... I was drowning. Suddenly, I found myself on a big tree and was carried towards the sea.
"When I woke up, I didn't see a single person anymore. I couldn't find anyone who was alive. I just saw a lot of corpses around me. I was lost in the mangrove swamp for 21 days, trying to find food.
"Sometimes I found biscuits and also some other food, like instant noodles, bottled water, as well as other drinks. On day 20, I ran out of food and had to drink rainwater."
Eventually, Martunis was found on a beach by a Sky News TV crew, and taken to the hospital. By this point, he was dehydrated, malnourished and covered in mosquito bites, but miraculously, alive.
He was thankfully reunited with his father, Sarbini, on the hospital wards, thanks to Save The Children through their Family Tracking and Reunification programme.
The counterfeit Portugal football top Martunis had been wearing at the time of his rescue brought his story to the attention of professional footballers, including Cristiano Ronaldo, who reportedly paid for Martunis' education.
Martunis even went on to enjoy significant footballing success in his own right and went on to sign an academy contract for Ronaldo's old club, Sporting Lisbon.
Alcides Mareno
On the morning of December 7, 2007, window cleaner Alcides Moreno and his younger brother Edgar took the lift to the top floor of the 47-storey Solow Tower building in Manhattan, New York City. Just as they stepped out onto the scaffold to wash the glass, the cables holding the 16ft wide (4.9m) washing platform in place "slipped from their attachment point", as per the United States Department of Labour accident report.
Sadly, Edgar, 30, fell instantly to his death, striking the top of a wall at an estimated speed of 124 mph. Alcides, then 37, clung tightly to the aluminium platform, which acted almost like an airborne surfboard, slowing his descent. When emergency services went to rescue Alcides from a heap of twisted metal, he was still breathing and even made attempts to stand up, BBC News later reported.
Alcides' injuries were severe, and he had to undergo 16 different operations to repair the extensive damage to his body, including his kidneys, brain, bones, and lungs. He also received 24 pints of blood and 19 pints of plasma, enough to replace all his blood twice over.
Experts were left amazed that Alcides had lived to tell the tale. As reported by the New York Post, Dr. Sheldon Teperman, director of trauma and critical-care surgery at Jacobi Medical Centre in The Bronx, made the following comments at the time: 'Fifty per cent of people who fall four to five stories die. By the time you reach 10 or 11 stories, just about everyone dies. This guy absolutely should have died.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
23 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Tourist, 22, whose legs were torn off by boat propeller has 'rough' update
Hannah Smith, 22, lost both her legs after being sucked into a boat propeller while on a dream holiday to the Bahamas and has undergone 26 surgeries in the past six weeks A 22-year-old woman who had both of her legs torn off after being sucked into a boat's propeller has endured a "rough" few days as she prepares for her 27th surgery. University graduate Hannah Smith was celebrating graduating with top honours for her arts degree at Miles College, Alabama when the tragic accident happened in the Bahamas. Hannah fell from the side of a pontoon boat as it was docking and was suddenly dragged beneath the water by its propeller, leaving her with catastrophic injuries and partially severed legs. Hannah remains in an intensive care unit at a hospital in Miami six weeks on from the horrific incident and has undergone 26 surgeries. More are planned in the future, according to her devastated sister Rachel, who has been by her bedside since the tragedy last month. In an update posted on Friday on a GoFundMe page set up to cover the mounting medical bills, Rachel said: "Please keep Hannah Banana in your thoughts and prayers. The past few days have been pretty rough. She was scheduled to undergo her 27/28th surgery today. "However, due to multiple complications, surgeons were unable to proceed. She's currently undergoing needed lab work, tests and procedures to assist with her comfort, control pain, remedy certain issues and prepare for additional surgeries. "Anyone who's ever been in an ICU knows that some days are better than others. Yesterday and today have not been the best days. Please keep her lifted in prayer. As always, thank you for your positive thoughts, prayers, love and support." After falling into the water and being sucked into the boat's propeller, Hannah was saved by two passengers who managed to grab her arm and pull her back on board. She was then given emergency first aid by the strangers before being airlifted to hospital. In another update posted on June 12, Rachel said the recovery process has been extremely difficult. "Hannah continues to display strength. She will be undergoing her 22nd surgery tomorrow. People are asking for updates but please keep in mind, as virtue of being in ICU, she still requires intensive care," the heartbroken sister said. "These surgeries have required her to need more blood, plasma, fluids and medications to regulate other systems. Through the pain and suffering, God has given her a will like non other. She is grateful for your prayers and support. The journey this far has been difficult to say the least. Hannah was just made aware of the death of a beloved uncle, making the situation strenuous. Please continue to pray for our family. Thank you for all the love and support." Hannah's family describe her as a crossfit-loving athlete who is a keen cheerleader, footballer and track runner. "We're trying to keep her spirits up," mum Tracy told the Mirror. "She's in a lot of pain. We're trying to practise techniques to distract her from it. Encourage her and just try to keep her pushing forward." The Royal Bahamas Police said an investigation into the freak accident was ongoing, adding in a statement: "The victim is alleged to have entered the water from a vessel she was a passenger on while it was attempting to dock. She sustained serious injuries to her lower body, caused by the vessel's propeller."
Daily Record
an hour ago
- Daily Record
British tourist fighting for life in Greek hospital after contracting Legionnaires' disease
Donna Jobling was on holiday in Crete with her husband and friends when she fell ill. A British tourist has been left fighting for her life after falling ill with Legionnaires' disease during a holiday to the Greek island of Crete. Donna Jobling, from West Hull, is still in an induced coma at Venizeleio Hospital in the capital, Heraklion. She was enjoying an all-inclusive holiday with her husband Sidney and their friends, Paula and Nicholas Mason. The 57-year-old became unwell on June 5, initially suffering from a chest infection, but her condition worsened just two days later. Tests confirmed she had Legionnaires' disease, caused by Legionella pneumophila. The infection caused acute respiratory failure and pneumonia, according to her family. The disease is usually picked up via inhaling water droplets from contaminated air conditioning systems. Her niece Claire, 42, flew out to see her after hearing how ill she was. She had to return home to obtain documents proving Donna is covered by insurance, but is travelling back as soon as she has them. Claire told Hull Live: "We are all devastated and beside ourselves." She added: "We were told it was touch and go whether she would survive. We are all praying for her. She is stable but under constant watch. We flew out there but had to come back because of work and family commitments. I'm still waiting for documents but will go back with them as soon as I have them." She described her aunt as being "like a mother to us all." She recalled Crete was a popular destination for family holidays when she was younger: "We have happy memories of the island. It used to be our go-to holiday destination and we went as a whole family. It is beautiful, The weather is great and the food is fantastic." Claire explained Donna has complex medical conditions, including epilepsy, but added she is being well cared for and staff brush her hair: "It is quite strict in the intensive care unit. You only get 30 minutes to visit. But she is well looked after." Donna's friends Paula and Nicholas travelled back home on June 12. Paula, 52, explained how both of their husbands had organised the holiday as a surprise. She said: "It was lovely at the start of the holiday. We all walked everywhere. "Then it came out from nowhere. She has a lot of health problems anyway. But she became seriously ill and the doctor said she had to be taken to hospital. and they have put her in an induced coma in the intensive care unit." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. The source of the Legionnaires' is still to be identified, however easyJet Holidays, the company the couples used to travel with, have re-accommodated other guests out of the hotel they had stayed in. A spokesperson said: "We're so sorry to hear that Ms Jobling is unwell, and we're continuing to support her and her family in every way we can. 'As soon as we were made aware of reports of illness, we immediately took action and contacted customers who were already staying in the hotel, or due to travel in the next four weeks, to provide alternative hotel options. "We've also been in touch with customers who recently returned home from this hotel, to inform them of necessary guidance. Our customers' safety and wellbeing is our top priority, and we'll continue to do all we can to support them.' It is understood that the hotel is working alongside health authorities in Crete.
Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Rabies vaccines see surge in demand following tragic death of British gran
Pharmacist Olamide Olokanmi confirmed the rise in numbers of people asking for rabies treatment. His pharmacy in Otley, West Yorkshire, had stocked up on the jab The tragic death of a British gran from rabies has sparked a surge in travellers seeking advice about vaccinations. Yvonne Ford 59, from Barnsley, died in hospital in Sheffield on 11 June after being scratched by the stray dog during a family trip to Morocco in February. Pharmacist Olamide Olokanmi confirmed the rise in numbers of people asking for rabies treatment. His pharmacy in Otley, West Yorkshire, had stocked up on the jab but he was concerned that an increase in demand may lead to a shortage of supply. "We frequently have supply issues with vaccines, especially when there's a high demand for them, and rabies notoriously seems to be one of them," said Mr Olokanmi. "Year-on-year we always have that problem, so I do foresee that being a problem. There would then be a wait for it to come back in or we'd have to go to another manufacturer which then drives up the price of the vaccine." It currently costs up to £330 for a three-dose rabies vaccine. Mrs Ford's death from the virus was the first in the UK since 2018 when a British man was bitten by a cat in the same African country. Mr Olokanmi has seen a rise in the number of customers seeking advice about whether to get the vaccination before travelling to high-risk regions such as Asia, Africa and Central and South America. Before news of Mrs Ford's death, most people accessing the pharmacy's travel clinic opted not to get the jab, he said. He told the BBC: "We had one lady come in on Wednesday night who is going on holiday to Morocco. She wasn't going to get the vaccine but after hearing what happened to this lady she changed her mind. A young man has also come in who is going to Morocco and we've had a lot of phone calls from people asking about it." The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), said its members were directing customers to the UK government travel advice. The travel agents have a duty to give advice about vaccines to holidaymakers when planning and booking their trip. That guidance was repeated for the benefit of their members this week. Spokesperson Emma Brennan added: "The UK Foreign Office does a lot to raise awareness of checking this advice and we support them in that, and their work with industry." Barnsley NHS Foundation Trust confirmed his wife was diagnosed with rabies. It is a rare but serious infection that is usually caught from the bite or scratch of infected dogs, bats, raccoons and foxes. Although the risk of getting it while travelling is small, rabies is more common in parts of Asia, Africa and Central and South America. Dr Katherine Russell, of the UK Health Security Agency, said: 'If you are bitten, scratched or licked by an animal in a country where rabies is found, you should wash the wound with plenty of soap and water and seek medical advice without delay in order to get post-exposure treatment to prevent rabies." The UK has been rabies-free since 1922, when the last indigenous non-fatal case was recorded, with the exception of rabies-like viruses in some wild bat species. Omar Zouhri, 58, was the last person to die in the UK from rabies; he was bitten by a rabid cat while in Morocco. Mr Zouhri, from Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, died in hospital in Oxford on November 4, 2018.
