The tragic Yeti Airlines ATR 72 plane crash in Nepal sadly also comes with a bittersweet side story of love and loss.
It appears that the co-pilot, who is missing and is presumed dead in the crash that happened near Pokhara, 44-year-old Anju Khatiwada, had previously lost her husband to a Yeti Airlines plane crash back in 2006.
According to a report by Yahoo News, Anju, who was the co-pilot and first officer of the flight that had crashed, had chosen to leave her life as a nurse behind to become a pilot in memory of her late-husband.
“Her husband, Dipak Pokhrel, died in 2006 in a crash of a Twin Otter plane of Yeti Airlines in Jumla. She got her pilot training with the money she got from the insurance after her husband’s death,” a Yeti Airlines staff shared.
She received her pilot training in the United States before returning to join the airlines in which her husband had worked with when he passed.
While some have reported that the flight that crashed was supposed to be her last before she received her certification as captain, the Yeti Airlines staff mentioned that Anju had previously already earned the role.
“She was a full captain at the airline who had done solo flights. She was a brave woman,” the staff member added.
She was among 6 women who were pilots with the airlines and at that point, had already flown close to 6,400 hours.
Sadly, it appears that she may have lost her life just as her husband did, in a plane crash mere minutes before they were supposed to land at their respective destinations.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their loved ones.
Stay tuned for more updates.
Also read: 2 Passengers Injured After Power Bank Overheats & Catches On Fire On Flight To Sāpore
