Nepal plane crash co-pilot was married to pilot who died in Yeti Airlines accident in 2006 - The Guardian

The co-pilot of the Yeti Airlines formation that crashed connected Sunday successful Nepal was the widow of a aviator who flew for the aforesaid airline, and besides died successful a level clang 16 years ago.

In 2010, Anju Khatiwada joined Yeti Airlines, pursuing successful the footsteps of her husband. Dipak Pokhrel besides flew for the Nepali airline, but died erstwhile a tiny rider level helium was flying went down minutes earlier landing.

Khatiwada was the co-pilot of the formation from Kathmandu that crashed arsenic it approached the metropolis of Pokhara connected Sunday, sidesplitting astatine slightest 68 radical successful the Himalayan nation’s deadliest level mishap successful 3 decades.

No survivors person been recovered truthful acold among the 72 radical connected board.

“Her husband, Dipak Pokhrel, died successful 2006 successful a clang of a Twin Otter level of Yeti Airlines successful Jumla,” hose spokesperson Sudarshan Bartaula told Reuters, referring to Khatiwada. “She got her aviator grooming with the wealth she got from the security aft her husband’s death.”

A aviator with much than 6,400 hours of flying time, Khatiwada had antecedently flown the fashionable tourer way from the capital, Kathmandu, to the country’s second-largest city, Pokhara, Bartaula said.

The assemblage of Kamal KC, the skipper of the flight, who had much than 21,900 hours of formation time, has been recovered and identified.

Kathiwada has not been identified but she is feared dead, Bartaula said.

“On Sunday, she was flying the level with an teacher pilot, which is the modular process of the airline,” said a Yeti Airlines official, who knew Khatiwada personally.

“She was ever acceptable to instrumentality up immoderate work and had flown to Pokhara earlier,” said the official, who asked not to beryllium named due to the fact that helium isn’t authorised to talk to media.

Reuters was incapable to instantly scope immoderate of her household members.

The ATR-72 craft that Khatiwada was co-piloting rolled from broadside to broadside earlier crashing successful a gorge adjacent Pokhara airport and catching fire, according to eyewitness accounts and a video of the clang posted connected societal media.

The cockpit dependable recorder and formation information recorder from the aircraft, which whitethorn assistance investigators find what caused it to clang successful wide weather, were recovered connected Monday.

Nearly 350 radical person died successful level oregon chopper crashes successful Nepal since 2000. The state is location to 8 of the world’s 14 highest mountains, including Everest, and abrupt upwind changes tin marque for hazardous conditions.