50 Photographs Depict the Aftermath of the September 11th Attacks at Ground Zero in New York City

The World Trade Center, in Lower Manhattan, New York City, was destroyed after a series of terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, killing almost 3,000 people at the site. Two commercial airliners hijacked by al-Qaeda members were deliberately flown into the Twin Towers of the complex, engulfing the struck floors of the towers in large fires that eventually resulted in a total progressive collapse of both skyscrapers, at the time the third and fourth tallest buildings in the world. It was the deadliest and costliest building collapse in history.

The North Tower (WTC 1) was the first building to be hit when American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into it at 8:46 a.m., causing it to collapse at 10:28 a.m. after burning for one hour and 42 minutes. At 9:03 a.m., the South Tower (WTC 2) was struck by United Airlines Flight 175; it collapsed at 9:59 a.m. after burning for 56 minutes.

The towers’ destruction caused major devastation throughout Lower Manhattan, as more than a dozen adjacent and nearby structures were damaged or destroyed by debris from the plane impacts or the collapses. Four of the five remaining World Trade Center structures were immediately crushed or damaged beyond repair as the towers fell, while 7 World Trade Center remained standing for another six hours until fires ignited by raining debris from the North Tower brought it down at 5:21 p.m. the same day.

The hijackings, crashes, fires, and subsequent collapses killed an initial total of 2,760 people. Toxic powder from the destroyed towers was dispersed throughout the city and gave rise to numerous long-term health effects that continue to plague many who were in the towers’ vicinity, with at least three additional deaths reported. The 110-story towers are the tallest freestanding structures ever to be destroyed, and the death toll from the attack on the North Tower represents the deadliest single terrorist act in world history.

In 2005, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) published the results of its investigation into the collapse. It found nothing substandard in the towers’ design, noting that the severity of the attacks was beyond anything experienced by buildings in the past. The NIST determined the fires to be the main cause of the collapses; the plane crashes and explosions damaged much of the fire insulation in the point of impact, causing temperatures to surge to the point the towers’ steel structures were severely weakened. As a result, sagging floors pulled inward on the perimeter columns, causing them to bow and then buckle. Once the upper section of the building began to move downward, a total progressive collapse was unavoidable.

The cleanup of the World Trade Center site involved round-the-clock operations and cost hundreds of millions of dollars. Some of the surrounding structures that had not been hit by the planes still sustained significant damage, requiring them to be torn down. Demolition of the surrounding damaged buildings continued even as new construction proceeded on the Twin Towers’ replacement, the new One World Trade Center, which opened in 2014.

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The Story Behind TIME’s September 11 Cover by Lyle Owerko

TIME magazine’s 9/11 cover, photographed by Lyle Owerko, is one of the most haunting and enduring images of September 11, 2001. The cover image TIME chose is a photograph of the second plane, United Airlines Flight 175, just before it struck the South Tower at 9:03 a.m.

TIME’s original 9/11 cover photographed by Lyle Owerko, on September 11, 2001.

On the morning of September 11, 2001, photographer Lyle Owerko was in his Tribeca apartment in New York City when he heard the first plane hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Jet-lagged from a recent trip to Africa, he grabbed his camera bag, which still contained a 400mm telephoto lens, and ran out to the street. He went to Vesey and Church streets, positioning himself with the sun at his back to get a clear shot of the two towers—one smoking and the other seemingly untouched.

“There was a lull for a few minutes,” Owerko remembered. “The reason I went to Vesey and Church streets was that it put the sun at my back and I was able to compose a story of the two towers – one that was obfuscated and one with no marring on it and at that point I thought: ‘There’s your cover.’ The one tower that’s smoking and the one that’s stoic and defiant.”

He was photographing the scene when the second plane, United Airlines Flight 175, began to approach the South Tower. He noted its “predatory” movement and, with his Fuji 645zi medium format camera, he waited until the moment of impact. He captured the iconic shot just as the plane hit the building, creating a massive fireball of heat and debris.

“I heard the sound of this jet,” Owerko said, “and I thought it was air traffic being redirected. I saw it off in the distance. The plane did this little shoulder shrug where it dipped its wing and when I saw it arc, then I knew its intention. It was a very predatory move and having just spent a month in Africa it was like watching a cheetah going into stalk mode.”

In that horrific moment, Owerko shot two frames. “I waited until it hit,” he said, “and when it hit I had no idea, but I thought something would occur. And when it hit, again it made this incredible beyond movie theatre sound. And then nothing happened for a second until this fireball of heat and debris erupted out of the backside of the building and that’s when I caught the cover shot.”

A split second later, he was composing the second shot. “And then the debris started raining down on us,” he said. “I put my hands over my head as airplane parts and building parts started scattering around the police officers, the bystanders, and me. There were screams and an eruption of people’s voices in shock.”

Now, Owerko can still conjure up that moment. “It’s like every synapse in my body was firing,” he said. “It was all beyond belief. It was like standing in the middle of a three dimensional Hollywood film.”

Three consecutive frames of the World Trade Center on the morning of September 11 shot by Lyle Owerko.

After taking the photos, Owerko walked to a nearby lab to get his images processed. The lab owner told him, “You have the cover of TIME magazine.” By early afternoon, the pictures were on the desk of TIME’s director of photography, MaryAnne Golon, who immediately recognized the shot as the one they needed for the cover.

The resulting TIME cover was unique. It was the first time since 1927 that the magazine’s traditional red border was changed; for the 9/11 issue, it was changed to a black border to reflect the solemnity of the event. Owerko’s photo, a “witness image,” as he calls it, has since been recognized as one of the most important magazine covers of the last 40 years by the American Society of Magazine Editors.

In the years since 9/11, Owerko has continued his photography career but has shifted focus to more uplifting subjects. He says, “I’ve already photographed humanity at one of its darkest moments, so why not seek out moments of light? That’s what I do now.”

Rare Aerial Photos of 9/11 Attacks in New York City as Seen From Other Planes

The September 11, 2001 attacks in New York City were not only witnessed on the ground, but also by pilots and passengers in other planes flying near the city that morning.

Many commercial flights approaching or departing from JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark had clear views of Lower Manhattan. Pilots reported seeing smoke trailing from the North Tower after Flight 11 struck at 8:46 a.m. By the time Flight 175 hit the South Tower at 9:03 a.m., several aircraft in the holding patterns near New York’s busy airspace witnessed the explosion and relayed what they saw to air traffic controllers.

The smoke column from the Twin Towers could be seen as far as 50 miles away, so nearly every plane over New Jersey, Long Island, or descending into NYC airspace had a view.

Some aerial photographs of the attacks taken by passenger Steve Schwardon while on a Delta Airlines flight, which landed in Providence, Rhode Island. He recalled:

“On September the 11th, I was on final approach to Laguardia on a Delta flight from Orlando when my friend noticed smoke coming from the Manhattan skyline. As we approached, we quickly realized that smoke was coming from each of the World Trade Center towers. This was a gut-wrenching, terrible feeling, knowing there was no logical reason for each tower to be on fire unless some act of terrorism had taken place. 

“Everybody on the half-empty flight began to speculate. The captain came on the cabin speakers and acknowledged that something was happening at the World Trade Center, and that we were being rerouted to Boston. 

“At some point I heard another passenger who had called someone on the Airfone say that planes had hit the towers, and that the Pentagon had been hit as well. The captain came on again and said we were being rerouted again, now to Providence. It seemed like we were on the ground in seconds.”

As U.S. airspace shut down at 9:45 a.m., hundreds of flights were ordered to land immediately. Many passengers later recalled seeing the towers burning or collapsing from their windows before their planes diverted.

Rare and Haunting Photos Inside the North Tower Several Minutes After the First Attack on September 11, 2001

Rare photos taken by John Labriola of office workers escaping from the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Firefighters can be seen ascending the stairs. Labriola worked on the 71st floor of World Trade Center Tower One as an independent contractor with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. He got out safely.

On the morning of 9/11, Labriola had a business meeting scheduled at the World Trade Center. He was in the North Tower when the first plane, American Airlines Flight 11, struck the building. As chaos erupted, he began to document what he was seeing with his camera.

His photographs are particularly notable because they are among the very few, if not the only, photos taken from inside the World Trade Center after the attacks began. The images capture the surreal and terrifying scene in the lobby and mezzanine levels of the tower. They show the aftermath of the plane’s impact, with debris, smoke, and destruction filling the once-pristine building.

His collection includes a haunting image of a firefighter, Mike Kehoe, making his way up the stairs of the North Tower. This specific photograph has become one of the iconic images of that day, representing the immense bravery and sacrifice of the first responders who rushed into the burning buildings.

Labriola’s photographs and his personal story of survival were later published in his book, Walking Forward, Looking Back: Lessons from the World Trade Center: A Survivor’s Story. The book presents all 110 of the photographs he took on 9/11 and offers a powerful and unique perspective on the tragedy.

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The Story Behind the Last Known Photograph of Ladder 118 as It Crosses the Brooklyn Bridge on Sept. 11, 2001

On September 11, 2001, Aaron McLamb had just arrived at his workplace near the Brooklyn Bridge when the first airplane crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Eighteen minutes later, he watched in shock from his 10th-floor window as the second plane tore into the South Tower.

The 20-year-old ran for his camera to capture a devastating moment in American history. “It was almost surreal being that high up looking at everything going on down below.” he told New York Daily News. “You couldn’t hear the crackling of the fire or the creaking of the buildings. The only thing we could hear were the sirens from the fire trucks going across the bridge.” He then snapped an unforgettable photograph of the Ladder 118 fire truck speeding to its death, with the Twin Towers smoking in the background.

The photo Aaron McLamb took of Ladder 118 racing toward the Twin Towers.

It’s estimated that within 30 minutes of this photo, everyone aboard ladder 118 was killed when one of the towers fell with all 6 fire fighters in the stair case. Ladder 118 was one of the fire trucks that responded to the disaster that followed the deadly attack.

After the second plane crashed into the South Tower, firefighters Vernon Cherry, Leon Smith, Joey Agnello, Robert Regan, Pete Vega, and Scott Davidson left the Brooklyn Heights fire hall and were on their way.

Once they arrived, the six men from Ladder 118 ran deeper into the carnage and landed at the Marriott World Trade Center Hotel, which shattered around them when the 110-storey towers collapsed. Survivors remembered seeing the heroes with the number 118 on their helmets running up the stairs to help guests.

They were never seen alive again.

Bobby Graff, a former elevator mechanic at the hotel said, “They knew what was going on, and they went down with their ship.” Referencing the hundreds of guests and Marriott employees that survived, he continued. “They weren’t going to leave until everyone got out. They must have saved a couple hundred people that day. I know they saved my life.”

Days later, Graff spoke with the members of the station and explained how the brave team refused to leave until they safely evacuated the building.

Retired firefighter John Sorrentino shared, “They heard the rumble of the tower coming down and Graff, everyone just started running. After the smoke cleared [Graff] was in a spot where he survived and everyone else died.” Sorrentino continued, “[Graff] could see the look on the guys faces from 118, that they knew that this was going to end bad, but they weren’t leaving because they wanted to get as many people out safely that they could. And that’s how we found out what Ladder 118 did that day.”

Some of the men from Ladder 118 were found within a few feet of each other, and others were found days or weeks later. The truck, that was last seen charging across the bridge to the site, was a mangled wreck of steel and glass and recovered within days of the attack.

Two months later, firefighters digging through the rubble found tools engraved with the Ladder 118 logo.

The team of Ladder 118 are six of 343 firefighters who died in 9/11, a number that represented almost half the number of “on-duty deaths in the New York City Fire Department’s entire 100-year history.”

Aaron always dreamed of being a fireman when he was young, and he knew the Middagh St. firehouse and admired its trucks. In fact, when he took the photo of Ladder 118 during the September 11 attack, he was eagerly waiting to see the truck cross the bridge.

He even told a colleague, “here comes the 118.” So, he was happy to capture a picture of the rig, not knowing the crew members would not be making it back from the disaster they were rushing to help resolve.

Aaron soon developed the photo of Ladder 118 during the September 11 attack and took it to the firehouse, where the firefighters immediately recognized Ladder 118. They studied it with a magnifying glass to confirm if the truck on the Brooklyn Bridge was indeed Ladder 118. It did not take long for them to verify that it was after noticing the orange stokes basket, which was upside down, and a saw box that jutted out. These were all Ladder 118 trademarks.

One of the firefighters recalls how chilling the experience was. Aaron passed the photo to New York Daily News, and they published it on their front page.

New York Daily News front page dedicated to Ladder 118. Dated Oct. 5, 2001.

For that reason, the photo of Ladder 118 during the September 11 attack is now seen as a proud symbol of patriotism during the terrifying tragedy.

Off Duty FDNY Firefighter Tim Duffy Rode His Harley Davidson Through Traffic and Chaos on 9/11 to Reach Ground Zero

On September 11, 2001, FDNY Firefighter Tim Duffy, though off duty, raced into the heart of the chaos on his 2000 Harley-Davidson Super Glide Sport — grabbing his gear from the firehouse and riding through a dust-choked Manhattan street to reach Ground Zero. The image, taken moments after the first tower fell, freezes a surreal moment as he cuts through debris and paper in a haze of destruction.

Shortly after arriving and while helping others to safety, Duffy was buried under rubble when the North Tower collapsed. Remarkably, he survived the collapse and continued his rescue efforts despite the choking dust and chaos.

Duffy’s Harley-Davidson also survived the day. He still rides it to this day and has used it for fundraising and charitable work, including for a charity he founded called “1 Soldier, 1 Dog, 1 Team,” which pairs shelter dogs with veterans and first responders suffering from PTSD.

The story and the image of Tim Duffy on his motorcycle have been featured in various media, including at a 9/11 ceremony at the Harley-Davidson Museum, where it was highlighted as a perfect illustration of the heroic attitude of first responders.

Michael Hingson and His Guide Dog Roselle, and Their Escape From the North Tower on 9/11

On the morning of September 11, 2001, Michael Hingson sat in his office on the 78th floor of the World Trade Center’s North Tower, accompanied by Roselle, his devoted guide dog. Suddenly, a deafening explosion shook the building, and flames and debris became visible through the windows. The urgency to evacuate was immediate.

Blind since birth, Michael had spent years memorizing the building’s layout and emergency procedures. Trusting Roselle completely, he began the descent down more than 1,460 stairs through smoke-filled hallways thick with the smell of jet fuel. Along the way, frightened coworkers joined them, some frozen by fear. Near the 50th floor, when panic threatened to take over, Michael’s calm voice and Roselle’s steady guidance helped keep the group moving safely.

Upon reaching the lobby, they were warned of falling debris and bodies outside. Acting quickly, Michael and his companions moved through a nearby building and eventually found relative safety in a subway station, the rumble of the collapsing towers echoing above them. Throughout the evacuation, Roselle’s keen instincts kept Michael from danger, refusing to move forward until it was safe, saving lives with each step. Hingson later said, “While everyone ran in panic, Roselle remained totally focused on her job, while debris fell around us, and even hit us, Roselle stayed calm.”

After the attacks, Hingson changed careers from a computer salesman to working for the Guide Dogs for the Blind as Public Affairs Director. Hingson and Roselle appeared on numerous television shows including Larry King Live, the CBS Morning Show and Regis and Kelly. They also appeared on a float during the 2002 Rose Parade in Pasadena, CA.

In 2004, Roselle was diagnosed with immune-mediated thrombocytopenia, but medications were able to control the condition. In March 2007 she retired from guiding after it was discovered that the medication was beginning to damage her kidneys. She continued to live with Hingson, who was assigned a new guide dog, Africa.

On June 24, 2011, Hingson suspected that something was wrong with Roselle and took her to her local vet, who diagnosed her with a stomach ulcer. Roselle died two days later on June 26, at 8:52 pm. In her memory, Hingson and Susy Flory wrote a book of his 9/11 experience entitled Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog, and the Triumph of Trust at Ground Zero which became a New York Times Bestseller. Michael and Karen Hingson subsequently set up Roselle’s Dream Foundation, a  charitable foundation to raise money to help vision-impaired people engage more fully in everyday life.

Photos Taken by David Swenson on the Morning of September 11, 2001

David Swenson, who worked in a data center in New York City, was taking weekly time-lapse photos of a new building under construction across the street. He used the Twin Towers to frame his shots, providing a consistent reference point.

On the morning of September 11, he was taking one of these regular photos when he witnessed the first plane, American Airlines Flight 11, crash into the North Tower. He captured this moment and continued to document the unfolding tragedy, including the impact of the second plane, United Airlines Flight 175, into the South Tower, as well as the collapses of both towers. His photographs – taken from 499 Washington Boulevard in Jersey City, directly across the Hudson River facing the World Trade Center – provide a unique perspective on the attacks, showing the progression of events from a nearby vantage point.

“Tuesday morning at 8:45am I was in our data center taking pictures of our new building going up across the street,” said Swenson. “I had been taking a few pictures each week, using the Twin Towers to frame/align all the shots evenly so I could later make a time lapse video of the new 30 story building’s construction.”

“After taking the shot I see a large plane flying south right over the Hudson River. For a moment I thought what a great shot I’m about to get, then American Airlines Flight 11 suddenly rolls into a left bank of about 40 degrees. The impact came about a second later, and I can’t believe what I’m seeing. After shooting a few more pics I run to the hall where I meet up with a few of the building engineers and we head up to the roof for a better view. The scene is surreal, and after watching United Flight 175 circle around and fly into the South Tower everyone began to realize we were under attack. We kept looking around for the next plane and my knees began to go weak. I will never EVER forget that image of American Airlines 11 rolling left and striking the North Tower. To this day, I’m still somewhat startled when looking up at a plane overhead.”

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The Wreck of School Ship HMS Conway in the Menai Strait, Wales in 1953

HMS Conway was originally HMS Nile, a 3-deck, 92-gun second-rate ship of the line, launched in 1839. After a career with the Royal Navy, she was acquired in 1876 to serve as a training ship for future officers of the British Merchant Navy. The school, also named HMS Conway, had been in operation since 1859. The ship was moved to the Menai Strait in Wales in 1941 to avoid the Blitz.

In April 1953, the ship was due for a refit in Birkenhead. On April 14, while being towed from her mooring at Plas Newydd, she ran into trouble in the treacherous waters of the Menai Strait, specifically in a section known as “the Swellies.”

The grounding was a result of a combination of factors. The local pilots had recommended using three tugs for the tow, but the management committee of the school decided to use only two. As the ship approached the Menai Suspension Bridge, an unexpectedly strong current and ebb tide caught her. The tugs were unable to make headway, and the ship was pushed onto a rocky reef known as “the Platters.”

As the tide went out, the ship’s stern was left unsupported, causing her to “break her back” and her seams to open. It was soon declared a total constructive loss. The wreck remained on the rocks until 1956, when efforts to dismantle her began. However, during this process, the hulk caught fire and was largely destroyed.

Cadet John Ellis, one of the cadets who helped recalled: “For two more days we continued salvaging what we could from the ship. We rotated our tasks from moving things from the ship to the boats, manning the boats, loading the trucks at Menai Pier and discharging the trucks at Plas Newydd.”

Another cadet recalled the huge effort that went into recovering every cadet’s sea chest: “We had salvaged the cadets sea chests from the ship and turned everything out on the dock and hosed them down. At that time Skinner became known as ‘Winkle’ from his saying, ‘You’ve gotta get all them winkles out of the corners.’”

Cadet Rob Cammack recalled the disorienting effect of working in the ship as she lay angled into the water: “Although I was not on the ship at the moment of the disaster I traveled north the following day to help with the salvage of personal effects etc. I have to admit that, as we were scrambling about on the orlop deck fishing out sea chests, I just had to sit down on one of them and cry my eyes out. I was not the only one either. A strange thing was that, after being below for some time, coming up on deck one would feel that the whole horizon was tilted over at an angle. It took quite a while for this to wear off.”

The loss of HMS Conway was a sad end for a vessel that had served as a training ground for thousands of sailors, but the school itself continued as a shore-based establishment at Plas Newydd until 1974.

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A Haunting Photo of Roger Miller at the Site of the Plane Crash That Killed Patsy Cline, Hawkshaw Hawkins and Cowboy Copas

A haunting photo of Roger Miller, a fellow country musician and friend of the victims, at the site of the plane crash that killed Patsy Cline, Hawkshaw Hawkins, Cowboy Copas and pilot Randy Hughes in Camden, Tennessee, the evening before on March 5, 1963. Miller is standing near the wreckage, looking down at some of Hawkins’ belongings, including a boot and a guitar case with the name “HAWKSHAW HAWKINS” on it.

Miller and a friend went searching for survivors in the early hours of the morning: “As fast as I could, I ran through the woods screaming their names—through the brush and the trees, and I came up over this little rise, oh, my God, there they were. It was ghastly. The plane had crashed nose down.”

Not long after the bodies were removed, scavengers came to take what they could of the stars’ personal belongings and pieces of the plane. Many of these items were later donated to The Country Music Hall of Fame.

Around 2 pm on Tuesday, March 5, 1963, the Piper Comanche, piloted by Randy Hughes, departed Fairfax Municipal Airport in Kansas City, Kansas. It was operating as an unscheduled cross-country passenger flight under visual flight rules (VFR) to its destination of Nashville, 411 nautical miles (761 km; 473 mi) to the southeast. Later that afternoon, the aircraft landed to refuel at Rogers Municipal Airport in Rogers, Arkansas, and departed 15 minutes later.

Hughes later made contact with Dyersburg Regional Airport in Dyersburg, Tennessee, and landed there at 5:05 pm, where he requested a weather briefing for the remainder of the flight to Nashville. He was informed by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employee Leroy Neal that local conditions were marginal for VFR flight and weather at the destination airport was below VFR minima. Hughes then asked if the Dyersburg runways were lit at night in case he had to return and Neal replied that they were. Hughes then informed Neal he would fly east towards the Tennessee River and navigate to Nashville from there, as he was familiar with the terrain in that area. He expressed concern about a 2,049-foot (625 m) high television transmitting tower north of Nashville, then stated that he would attempt the flight and return if the weather conditions worsened.

After refueling, the passengers and pilot reboarded the Piper Comanche. Hughes requested another weather briefing by radio, then taxied into position and took off at 6:07 pm. After takeoff, no further radio contact was made with N7000P. The reported weather at that time was a ceiling of 500 feet (150 m), visibility of 5 miles (8.0 km), temperature of 43 °F (6 °C), gusty and turbulent wind from the east at 20 miles per hour (17 kn), and cloudy. A short time later, an aviation-qualified witness, about 4 miles (6.4 km) west of Camden, heard a low-flying aircraft on a northerly course. The engine noise increased and seconds later a white light appeared from the overcast, descending in a 45° angle.

At 6:29 pm, the aircraft crashed into a wooded, swampy area 1 mile (1.6 km) north of U.S. Route 70 and 5 miles (8.0 km) west of Camden. The aircraft was destroyed on impact and all four occupants were killed. The witness described hearing a dull-sounding crash, followed by complete silence.

Investigators concluded that the primary cause of the crash was pilot error. Specifically, Randy Hughes’s decision to operate the aircraft under VFR in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) – essentially, flying by sight in weather that required instrument flying skills.

Hughes likely experienced spatial disorientation due to the low visibility, leading to a “graveyard spiral” (a disorienting descent). When the aircraft cleared the clouds, he attempted to pull up and apply full power, but it was too late to recover.

The wreckage was discovered early the following morning, March 6, 1963, after an all-night search. All four occupants were killed instantly. The tragic loss sent shockwaves through the country music community and beyond, leaving an indelible mark on the history of American music. A memorial now stands at the crash site in Camden, Tennessee, honoring the lives of these country music legends.

The 11A Mystery: Two Plane Crashes, Two Survivors, and One Seat Number

Thai singer Ruangsak Loychsuk, who survived a 1998 plane crash, shared a chilling coincidence after learning that the sole survivor of the recent Air India crash in Ahmedabad was seated in the exact same seat, 11A, as he was during his own 1998 disaster.

On December 11, 1998, 20-year-old Ruangsak Loychusak cheated death when Thai Airways Flight TG261 stalled and plunged into a swamp while attempting to land in southern Thailand, killing 101 of the 146 people on board.

Ruangsak, now 47, said he had goosebumps after learning that Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British national who had a miraculous escape in the Air India Flight AI171 crash, was seated in 11A when the plane went down.

“The lone survivor of the plane crash in India was sitting in the same seat number as me, 11A. Goosebumps”, Loychusak wrote on Facebook in Thai.

Ruangsak shared that the crash left deep trauma. For 10 years, he feared flying, avoided people and got anxious seeing clouds.

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

Though he doesn’t have his old boarding pass, newspaper reports confirmed his seat number. He offered condolences to all who lost loved ones in the recent tragedy and said surviving gave him a “second life”.

The Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner, en route to London Gatwick, crashed into buildings shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on Thursday, June 12, 2025. The aircraft exploded in a fireball, killing 243 of the 244 people on board.

The only survivor, Ramesh from Leicester, England, sharing his shocking account of the disaster, described how he was “ejected” from the jet before it hit the ground and exploded. “I don’t know how I came out of it alive. For a while, I thought I was about to die. But when I opened my eyes, I saw I was alive. And I opened my seatbelt and got out of there,” adding how two cabin crew members “died before my eyes.”

His seat, located beside the emergency exit, detached as the aircraft struck the ground, an occurrence that may have saved his life. He recalled how the pilots tried to raise the jet, but it “went full speed and crashed into the building.”

Ramesh explained how the plane quickly caught fire following the crash, and said he burned his arm.

“When I got up, there were bodies all around me. I was scared. I stood up and ran. There were pieces of the plane all around me. Someone grabbed hold of me and put me in an ambulance and brought me to the hospital,” he said.

No one can explain a coincidence like that. Two men, years apart, both surviving the impossible — from the same seat.

Rare Snaps of the LZ 129 Hindenburg’s Final Flight Over Lakehurst, New Jersey on May 3, 1937

LZ 129 Hindenburg was a German commercial passenger-carrying rigid airship, the lead ship of its class, the longest class of flying machine and the largest airship by envelope volume. It was designed and built by the Zeppelin Company on the shores of Lake Constance in Friedrichshafen, Germany, and was operated by the German Zeppelin Airline Company.

The airship first flew from March 1936 as a Nazi propaganda vessel until it burst into flames 14 months later on May 6, 1937, while attempting to land at Lakehurst Naval Air Station in Manchester Township, New Jersey, at the end of the first North American transatlantic journey of its second season of service.

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