In a quiet Birmingham neighbourhood, Farhan Burhan carries memories that would break most people. He is the sole survivor of one of aviation's deadliest terror attacks - the 1985 Air India Flight 182 bombing that claimed 329 lives.
Thirty-nine years later, the 60-year-old mechanical engineer has built a new life in the West Midlands, but the ghosts of that fateful day continue to shape his existence.
The Day Everything Changed
On June 23, 1985, Flight 182 was cruising at 31,000 feet over the Atlantic Ocean when a bomb hidden in checked luggage detonated. The aircraft disintegrated, plunging into the sea off the coast of Ireland.
"I remember the noise first," Burhan recalls, his voice steady but distant. "Then the screaming, then nothing but cold and darkness."
Miraculously, the then-21-year-old student survived the impact and found himself floating amidst the wreckage, surrounded by bodies and debris. He was rescued after spending hours in the frigid waters, suffering from hypothermia and multiple injuries.
Building a New Life in Birmingham
Burhan moved to Birmingham in the early 1990s, seeking anonymity and a fresh start. He established himself as a respected mechanical engineer, married, and raised a family, all while grappling with the trauma of being the attack's only survivor.
"Birmingham gave me space to breathe," he explains. "People here don't know my story unless I choose to tell them. That ordinary anonymity has been my greatest gift."
The Weight of Survival
Being the only person to walk away from such devastation brings its own unique burden. Burhan has spent decades wrestling with survivor's guilt and the knowledge that 329 others perished.
"For years, I asked why me? Why was I spared?" he shares. "There are no answers to those questions. Now I focus on living well enough for all those who can't."
The Birmingham resident has become an advocate for aviation security and supports trauma survivors through quiet, anonymous charity work.
A Message of Resilience
Despite the unimaginable tragedy that defines his past, Burhan emphasises the importance of moving forward while honouring those lost.
"The pain never leaves you," he says softly. "But neither does the determination to make your survival mean something. Every day I wake up in Birmingham is a day those 329 people were denied. I try to make it count."
His story stands as a powerful testament to human resilience and the quiet strength found in Birmingham's diverse communities.
