Nepal plane crash: Video shows last moments of domestic flight passenger
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Nepal’s aviation authorities have released the names and nationalities of the passengers in yesterday’s Yeti Air crash, 68 of whom have been confirmed dead.
The twin-engine ATR 72 plane was carrying 72 people – four crew members and 68 passengers – when it crashed near the airport of the tourist city of Pokhara on Sunday. All but four bodies have been recovered.
Fifteen foreign nationals were among those on board – from India, Russia, South Korea, France, Australia and Argentina – including a Briton named Callum Ruane Crichton, who was initially believed to be Irish.
Meanwhile, a video that has been widely circulated online is said to have been filmed and broadcast on Facebook Live by one of the passengers in the final moments of the flight.
Earlier, a spokesperson of Pokhara airport revealed that the pilot asked the airport to change the runway minutes before his plane fell into a deep gorge.
Experts who viewed video footage of the disaster said Monday that the plane appeared to stall in midair, which can happen when a pilot tries to pull his plane too steeply or slow down too much.
Plane crash in Nepal
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Turboprop plane had ‘good results’ but could be ‘unforgiving’
What do we know about the plane that crashed on Sunday?
The aircraft was a twin-engined propeller-driven craft called the ATR 72, manufactured by the Franco-Italian aerospace firm ATR.
Designed for short connections within the same country or region, it usually carries around 72 passengers (hence the name) and is widely used around the world. The model has been in service since 1988, and the particular plane that crashed is about 15 years old.
Although the model has a history of crashes, this may be due to the type of airlines and routes it usually flies. Pilots and aviation experts largely describe it as reliable, with one expert telling The Associated Press that it has a “very good track record.”
Another expert told CNN in 2015: “[It’s] actually a very good plane – been around for a while. They don’t have a reputation for being difficult to fly… I can’t say they’re dangerous.”
However, a pilot who regularly flies the ATR 72 between India and Nepal said it can be an “unforgiving aircraft” for pilots with low skills or a lack of familiarity with the region’s conditions.
According to flight tracking service FlightRadar, the plane that crashed on Sunday was “equipped with an old transponder with unreliable data”.
Yo Dodds January 17, 2023 02:48 am
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Australian teacher and avid surfer among the dead
We now have more details about Myron William Love, the Australian teacher who died in the plane crash.
Mr Love, 29, was described by Australian media as a keen surfer, cyclist and traveler who worked as a temporary teacher in Sydney.
“It is with extreme sadness that I can say that we have lost one of the best people I have ever known,” Sydney artist James Lesiak-Aton said on Instagram, according to The Guardian (post no longer available).
“Myron was one of the loves of my life. A really nice, funny, energetic guy. We will love you forever my man.”
Yo Dodds January 17, 2023 1:52 am
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“Her father asked her not to become a pilot”
Co-pilot Anju Khatiwada’s family described her determination to fly even despite her father’s opposition.
Gopal Regmi, a relative and close friend of her father, told The New York Times: “Anju’s father had asked her not to choose the profession of a pilot. After the tragic death of her husband, she was determined to become a pilot.’
Mr Regmi also recalled that while applying for a study visa in the US, Ms Hativada told officials: “I just want to wear a white uniform like my husband and work as a pilot.”
According to airline officials, Ms Khatiwada had 6,396 hours of flight time when she died – a respectable amount for a commercial pilot. The flight captain, Kamal KC, 58, had 21,900 hours.
Yo Dodds January 16, 2023 11:59 pm
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“Going to Nepal was her dream as a mountaineer”
An Argentine hotel manager with a passion for climbing and nature has been named as one of the victims of the crash.
The Palevechino family is reportedly known locally for running the Hotel Suizo, having arrived in Argentina from mountainous Switzerland in the early 20th century.
“Janet Palavesino, rest in peace. We will miss you and always keep you in our memory. My greetings and condolences to the entire family and affections,” said Neuquen Governor Omar Gutierrez on Sunday.
“Going to Nepal was her dream as a climber,” one of Ms Palavesino’s friends wrote on social media.
Another said: “Utmost respect and admiration for a powerful woman who lived and died fulfilling her dreams.”
Yo Dodds January 16, 2023 11:26 pm
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Another possible theory: bird strike
Another possibility for the cause of this crash is a bird strike – commonly known as a “bird strike”.
According to the Associated Press, in the days before Pokhara’s brand new international airport opened on January 1, there were concerns about the large number of birds in the area, attracted by the city’s two rivers and the landfill near the airport.
Air safety expert Amit Singh suggested that a bird strike may have caused the plane’s crew to abort their landing and circle for another attempt, increasing the risk of a crash.
“A high thrust setting can cause stalling,” Mr Singh said. “Go-arounds are most often done incorrectly by the crew…so again the question is how did the pilot deal with the failure?”
Yo Dodds January 16, 2023 10:52 pm
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More evidence for the theory that the plane stopped
Here are more details from Indian air safety expert Amit Singh on the possible cause of this crash.
“If you see the trajectory of the plane, the nose of the plane is going up, and the nose up would be associated with a decrease in speed,” Mr. Singh told The Associated Press.
“When they have a stall, usually one wing descends and the wings basically generate lift. So as the airflow decreases, the lift generated is not enough to keep the plane in flight and the wing drops and the plane sinks.”
Aviation consultant Ron Barch also told Sydney’s Channel 9 News the plane appeared to have stalled, adding: “Probably pilot error.”
Yeti Air said the cause of the crash was still under investigation.
Yo Dodds January 16, 2023 10:20 pm
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Indian city mourns three victims who traveled for funeral
Three Nepalis, who were traveling to attend the funeral of a Christian evangelist, also died in the crash, according to The Times of India.
Raju Thakuri, Rabin Hamal and Anil Shahi are reportedly returning to Pokhara after paying their respects to Mathew Philip in the Indian state of Kerala.
Mr Philip was a Christian priest for 45 years in Nepal until two years ago when he returned to his hometown of Anikad after being diagnosed with cancer.
His son Joel Mathew told the Times that Mr Mathew was the father of the three men and their two surviving companions who became separated from them in Kathmandu, Nepal.
“They spent the whole day at church and at home and left in the evening after the funeral,” Mr Mathew said.
“At the Anikad Brothers Assembly, where my grandfather’s mortal remains were kept for public veneration, they sang a Nepali song that my grandfather liked the most. They also talked about him and how he affected their lives.”
Thomas KA, a priest in Anikad, said: “We are all familiar with these Nepali youths as they often visit this village and attend our meeting.”
Their deaths cast a further stain on the Christian community of Anikad, which was already mourning the loss of Mr. Philip.
Yo Dodds January 16, 2023 9:47 pm
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Nepalese folk singer and TikTok star among victims of crash
A famous Nepali folk singer with a significant following on TikTok was among the passengers killed in Sunday’s plane crash.
Neera Chhantial, who often posts videos of her performances to her approximately 125,000 followers on TikTok, traveled to Pokhara to take part in an event, Insider reported.
Less than an hour before the disaster, she posted on her Facebook page in honor of the Maghe Sankranti festival, which marks the winter solstice.
“On the auspicious occasion of Maghe Sankranti, I extend my best wishes to all parents, brothers and sisters living in the country and abroad,” Ms Chhanthial wrote.
Since then, the comments under her posts have been flooded with fans and well-wishers expressing their grief over her death.
“You are gone, your memories are still remembered. Not dating now,” said one with a series of crying emojis. Another said, “You went to Pokhara, but you left in a way that you will never come back. Sincere condolences.”
Yo Dodds January 16, 2023 9:14 pm
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“Why did this senior captain allow the wing to stop?”
Two more aviation experts agreed that the Yeti Air appeared to have stalled in mid-air.
Neil Hansford, chairman of California-based consultancy Strategic Aviation Solutions, told Australia’s ABC News: “I think it will come to what is called a crash.
“[The pilot had] it was coming too slowly. As soon as you bank to the left, then obviously you lose all wind power and it drops down like a rock.
“Once you get into a stall at low altitude and low speed, there’s usually only one consequence.”
He claimed the plane had automated stall warnings, meaning the crash was likely due to human error.
“When you’re at low speed, you don’t go into hard banked turns…think [the pilot’s] a level of competence has been reached.”
James Nixon, a retired captain of the airliner, said investigators needed to “find out why this most senior captain allowed the speed to decrease on the approach and the wing to stall.”
He added: “When…
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