Husband of co-pilot killed in Nepal plane crash had died in a similar mishap

Anju Khativadi underwent pilot training after her husband Deepak Pokhrel, who was a co-pilot at Yeti Airlines, died in a plane crash in 2006.

Hyderabad: Anju Khatiwada underwent a pilot training after her husband, who worked as a co-pilot in Nepal's Yeti Airlines, died in a plane crash in 2006. Anju was among 69 people, who died in a similar plane crash on Sunday. The Yeti Airlines' 9N-ANC ATR-72 aircraft with 72 people on board, including five Indians, crashed on the banks of the Seti river in central Nepal's resort city of Pokhara on Sunday.

The couple is now survived by only son, who will have to live as an orphan. Anju Khatiwada, a resident of Biratnagar in Nepal, was married to Deepak Pokhrel, who was a co-pilot at Yeti Airlines. After Pokhrel's death in a plane crash in 2006, Anju wanted to fulfil her husband's dream. Anju took up a pilot training with the insurance money received after her husband's death.

Four years after her husband's death, she joined Yeti Airlines as a co-pilot. Anju often used to fly planes from Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, to Pokhara. However, on Sunday fate had some other plans as Anju ended up with a similar fate as her husband's. As per the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), the Yeti Airlines' 9N-ANC ATR-72 aircraft took off from Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport at 10:33 am and crashed on the banks of the Seti river between the old airport and the new airport minutes before landing. As per the CAAN, a total of 68 passengers and four crew were on board.