Anju Khatiwada, the co-pilot of Yeti Airlines- ATR-72, carrying 72 people, which crashed in Nepal’s Pokhara yesterday, lost her spouse 16 years ago to a plane crash on June 21, 2006.
Coincidentally, her husband was a co-pilot too for Yeti Airlines itself. 16 years ago, Yeti Airlines 9N AEQ aircraft on its way to Jumla from Nepalganj via Surkhet crashed wherein six passengers and four crew members were killed. One of the people killed was Anju’s husband.
The plane that crashed yesterday, was piloted by senior Capitan Kamal KC and Anju was the co-pilot on the aircraft. The aircraft crashed into forested land located on the banks of the Seti River that flows between the old domestic airport and Pokhra International Airport on Sunday.
As per reports, the passenger plane was carrying 72 people onboard and it was a 27-minute flight. Nepal’s Yeti Airlines has confirmed there were 68 passengers, including five Indians on the aircraft. So far, 70 bodies have been retrieved by Nepalese authorities.
Moreover, the co-pilot Anju’s dream was scratched and she was seconds away from achieving her goal of becoming a captain. She lost her life and her dreams moments before realising them while striking a stark similarity with her late husband, Deepak Pokhrel’s destiny.
As per reports, this was slated to be the last flight of the crashed plane’s co-pilot, Anju Khativada, as a pilot. She was due to become the captain after her successful landing, scheduled for Sunday.
To conclude her hours in the air and become a captain, Anju had taken the flight with the senior pilot and her instructor, Kamal KC. To become a pilot, one needs at least 100 hours of flying experience. Co-pilot Anju had successfully landed in almost all the airports of Nepal earlier.
Meanwhile, Jyotiraditya Scindia, minister of civil aviation for the Union, expressed condolences for Sunday’s crash. “The loss of lives in a tragic plane crash in Nepal is extremely unfortunate. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the bereaved. Om Shanti,” he tweeted.
