travel blogger nepal plane crash

A folk singer, a Russian travel blogger, and an Argentine hotelier are among the 68 who died in the Nepal plane crash

• At least 68 people died on Sunday in a plane crash near Pokhara, Nepal.
• The victims include a Nepali folk singer, an Argentine hotelier, and a Russian travel blogger.
• Some of them made social media posts less than an hour before the deadly crash occurred.

At least 68 passengers died in a plane crash on Sunday in central Nepal, and information is beginning to emerge about who they were.

The flight, run by Nepali carrier Yeti Airlines, crashed near Pokhara airport at around 10:50 a.m., Reuters reported. It was only meant to last 30 minutes.

Four crew and 68 passengers were on board the ATR 72 plane. Among the dead were a Nepali folk singer, a Russian travel blogger, and an Argentine hotelier. 

Nepali folk singer Nira Chhantyal

Nira Chhantyal, the folk singer, was traveling to Pokhara to perform at an event on Monday, according to her Facebook page.

She had 125,100 followers on Tiktok , where she posted videos of herself singing, dancing and lip syncing to songs in Nepali. 

Related stories

She posted a celebratory greeting for the Nepali festival of Maghe Sankranti on Facebook on Sunday, less than an hour before the crash.

On Saturday, Chhantyal posted a series of photos of her singing and posing at a community event in Kathmandu. "Now we enjoy Pokhara tomorrow," she wrote.

Russian travel blogger Elena Banduro

Elena Banduro, a 33-year-old travel blogger, posted a selfie of herself on a plane with the caption: "Go to Nepal!" before the plane went down, according to the British news site Metro. 

She worked as a social-media manager for a software company, according to her Facebook page . She documented her travels in Russia, Europe, and Asia on her Instagram page and her blog.

Banduro was one of four Russians in the crash. The Russian ambassador to Nepal, Alexei Novikov, confirmed that all four Russian had died, according to the state-run TASS news agency.

Argentine hotelier Jannet Palavecino 

Jannet Palavecino was the manager of the Hotel Suizo in Neuquen city, according to her Facebook page. Her page described her as a lover of cycling, mountains, gardening, and painting.

Palavecino was 57, according to Argentine newspaper Clarin.

The governor of Neuquen province, Omar Gutierrez, tweeted his condolences for Palavecino's passing on Sunday. "We will miss you and always keep you in our memory," he wrote.

Neuquen's local soccer club, Atletico Pacifico, wrote on Facebook that Palavecino was the sister of its former president, Omar Palavecino.

"From the football subcommission, we send our condolences to Omar and family and we accompany them in this difficult time," wrote the club.

• Main content

Who Was Elena Banduro? Russian Travel Blogger Posted Chilling Final Selfie Moments Before ATR 72 Yeti Flight Crashed in Nepal Killing 68 On Board

She took a selfie on the flight and posted it with the caption: 'go to nepal' minutes before the plane crashed..

• By R. Ghosh Updated January 17, 2023 01:44 +08

Banduro posted excitedly about her latest trip showing her on a plane with the message in English: "Go to Nepal" before being killed in the tragic accident. Shocking videos of the horrific crash have emerged that capture the final moments from both inside and outside before the Yeti Airlines plane crashed on the ground, killing everyone on board.

Tragic Death

Banduro was enjoying her trip to Nepal and suggested to his followers online to visit the country, only to die in a horrific plane crash. She took a selfie on the flight and posted it with the caption: 'Go to Nepal' minutes before the plane crashed.

On Sunday, her social media was flooded with condolence comments, and some referred to her as "the brightest, kindest soul we knew."

The tragic blogger had a job managing social media and had traveled extensively. Viktoria Altunina, Yuri Lugin, and Viktor Lagin were three other Russians who died on the flight.

There were 72 passengers on the ill-fated flight, including a total of 15 foreign nationals.

Alexei Novikov, the Russian ambassador to Nepal, earlier confirmed that four Russian citizens on board the crashed jet died in the crash. "Unfortunately, four citizens of the Russian Federation died," he said.

"We are in constant contact with the Nepalese authorities and will provide all necessary assistance to the relatives of the dead Russians."

This came as one of the passengers on board the ill-fated plane appeared to have live-streamed the final moments on Facebook Live. The video, which was allegedly captured by an Indian man by the name of Sonu Jaiswal, appears to show passengers grinning as the jet passes over buildings.

The Yeti Airlines logo can be seen over Jaiswal's shoulder, and there is also an advertisement for Nepalese insurance on the tray of the aircraft.

Suddenly there is an explosion and the screen goes topsy-turvy. The final few seconds show a horrifying fire outside the window and cries of distraught passengers can be heard. The phone kept on recording even as the plane was engulfed in flames.

Tragedy Strikes Mid-Air

Jaiswal's phone was recovered from the debris at the site of the crash. Jaiswal was one of the five Indians killed in the fatal crash, who live streamed the video on Facebook Live.

Although the veracity of the video has not independently verified, the Times of India claims to have spoken to Jaiswal's cousin, who confirmed the 29-year-old was on the aircraft. According to the investigation, just before the collision, one of Jaiswal's companions—all three of whom were also Indians — shouted, "It's real fun!"

Jaiswal was broadcasting on Facebook Live after boarding the plane for Pokhara, according to his cousin Rajat Jaiswal, who was quoted in the report. "Sonu was on Facebook live after boarding the flight for Pokhara. The live-streaming showed that Sonu and his companions were in a happy mood but all of a sudden flames appeared before the streaming stopped."

Another dramatic video doing the rounds on social media captures the flight's progress from the ground as it started landing before bursting into flames. According to reports, the jet then abruptly tipped to the left, spun upside down, and erupted into a ball of fire.

The crash involved a twin-engine ATR 72 aircraft operated by Yeti Airlines. The flight was making the 30-minute journey from Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, to Pokhara.

The plane had 72 passengers, including 15 foreign nationals, and at least 68 are reported to have been killed when it crashed into a canyon not far from the city's new airport.

According to Nepal's Civil Aviation Authority, the disaster 's exact cause is yet unknown.

The aircraft crashed after losing touch with the airport at 10.50 am local time, according to the aviation authority. As it made its landing approach to the airport, video appears to show the plane suddenly tilting and falling toward the ground.

The plane had five Indians, four Russians, one Irish, two South Korean, one Australian, one French and one Argentinian national onboard, a Nepal airport official said.

During the Nepal plane accident,a passenger who was the victim of the accident was doing Facebook Live, the video went viral on social media. At least 68 people have died after a 72-seater plane crashed. #planecrash #NepalPlaneCrash #Nepal #pokhra #NepalPlaneCrashVideo pic.twitter.com/KSLpWhBIRp — Gajraj Singh Parihar  (@GAJRAJPARIHAR) January 15, 2023

Horrifying last moments of an ATR plane crash from Nepal in Pokhara that was bound for Kathmandu. All 72 people on board are dead. pic.twitter.com/4JZIvnThPQ — Wajahat Kazmi (@KazmiWajahat) January 15, 2023

• Mint Butterfield: Teen Daughter of Former Slack CEO Found in The Back of a White Van With Adult Man Now Facing Kidnapping Charges Investigators say that learned Butterfield had been in contact with...
• Derek Floyd: FDNY Firefighter Dies from Heart Attack Weeks After He Was Fired in Huge Budget Cuts to Pay for Migrants, Leaving Family with Nothing Floyd's firing, followed by his untimely death that has posed challenges...
• Houston Restaurant Worker Arrested After Getting Caught on Video Putting His Genitals in Food Othello Larenzo Holmes, 27, was charged with indecent assault and five...
• Jealous Oregon Man Kills Girlfriend's Ex for Having Continued Contact with Her, Claims He Did it in Self-Defense David Anthony Baynes shot and killed his girlfriend's ex, Adam Woodall, as...
• Anti-Israeli Protesters at Harvard Raise Palestinian Flag at Spot Where Stars & Stripes Flies Over Founder's Memorial Within just four minutes, by 6:34 PM, Harvard University Police officers...
• Who is Alejandra Rodríguez? 60-Year-Old Lawyer Makes History by Winning Miss Universe Buenos Aires 2024 Alejandra Marisa Rodríguez, a 60-year-old lawyer and journalist from La...
• Who is Aliia Roza? Ex-Russian 'Spy' Reveals Shocking Tale of Sexpionage in Explosive Podcast Interview Aliia Roza, a former Russian citizen, unveils her riveting tale of...
• Justin Bieber Sparks Concern Among Fans After He Is Seen Crying in Selfies Posted to Instagram Amid Rumors of Rift With Wife Hailey Justin, 30, and Hailey, 27, have been married since 2018, but their...
• Tech Billionaire Ankur Jain and Former WWE Wrestler Erika Hammond Tied the knot in a Grand Ceremony at the Great Pyramids in Egypt Bilt Rewards CEO Ankur Jain and former WWE wrestler Erika Hammond...
• Horrific Tragedy! High-Speed SUV Goes Airborne, Lands 20 Feet Above the Ground, Claiming Lives of Three Indian Women in US Crash Three Indian women from Gujarat's Anand district tragically lost their...

Local news:

7NEWS in your inbox: Sign up here for newsletters

Travel blogger’s chilling three-word final post before deadly plane crash.

Tragedy unfolds in central Nepal following major plane crash

A travel blogger who shared a chilling final post before she was killed in the Nepal plane crash had recently discovered she was pregnant, her family has revealed.

At least 68 people were killed on Sunday when a passenger aircraft went down near the city of Pokhara in central Nepal in the country’s deadliest plane crash in more than 30 years.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Tragedy unfolds in central Nepal as plane crash kills at least 68 people.

One of the victims has since been identified by loved ones as Russian blogger Elena Banduro, 33.

Banduro, a social media manager from Moscow, shared an eerie message as one of her final social media posts before her death.

The 33-year-old was pictured smiling in a selfie on a plane with the English caption: “Go to Nepal.”

Her social media has since been flooded with messages of condolences, as loved ones paid tribute to the young women who had just week told them she was pregnant.

“I can’t believe it,” one friend said of Banduro’s death.

“Our light and air ... Fly high sis, and go to the places you dreamed of going,” another said.

Banduro’s sister Ksenia told Russian media outlet KP RU the blogger had flown to Nepal to see her husband.

Ksenia had spoken to her sister just the day before the tragedy.

“Everything was fine, she talked about her impressions, about plans for a vacation,” she said, according to a translation of KP RU.

“At 4.59am Moscow time, she wrote to me: ‘Good morning, in Nepal 7.44am. I go to the airport area, now I have a flight to the city of Pokhara’.”

Ksenia said Banduro had only last week told her family she was pregnant.

Of the 68 passengers on the ATR 72 plane, 15 were foreign nationals including five Indians, four Russians, two South Koreans, and one each from Australia, Argentina, Ireland, and France, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal.

Among the dead is at least one infant, CAAN said.

Four crew members were also on the flight.

Russian Ambassador to Nepal Alexei Novikov confirmed the death of the four Russian citizens on board.

The plane was making a 27-minute flight from the capital of Kathmandu to Pokhara when it crashed into a gorge while attempting to land at a newly opened airport.

At least one witness reported hearing cries for help from within the fiery wreck.

Officials suspended the search for four missing people overnight and planned to resume looking Monday.

Hundreds of first responders had been working to locate the remaining four individuals before then.

Kaski district senior administrative officer Tek Bahadur KC said he expected rescue workers to find more bodies at the bottom of the gorge.

Local resident Bishnu Tiwari, who rushed to the crash site near the Seti River to help search for bodies, said the rescue efforts were hampered by thick smoke and a raging fire.

“The flames were so hot that we couldn’t go near the wreckage. I heard a man crying for help but because of the flames and smoke we couldn’t help him,” Tiwari said.

The aviation authority said the aircraft last made contact with the airport from near Seti Gorge at 10.50am before crashing.

It was not immediately clear what caused the accident, CAAN said.

Caught On Camera: Motorist stunned by miniature horse at Macca’s drive-through

• Travel Updates

Blogger’s eerie selfie before horror Nepal plane crash

A travel blogger shared a selfie on a plane alongside a message before she tragically died in Nepal’s worst aircraft tragedy in nearly five years.

‘Not good enough’: Karl rips into airline

Shock twist after plane slide falls off mid-air

Tragic update after plane crash

A Russian travel blogger has been named as one of the victims in the horror Nepal plane crash – the country’s worst aircraft tragedy in nearly five years.

Elena Banduro, 33, a social media manager from Moscow, regularly posted about her travel adventures.

In one of her final posts before her tragic death, she excitedly shared a selfie on a plane with the caption: “Go to Nepal.”

Elena’s Facebook and Instagram pages have since been flooded with messages of condolences where she has been described as the “brightest” and “kindest soul”.

“Fly high sis, and go to the places you dreamt of going,” a friend posted on her wall.

“Rest in peace beautiful soul,” wrote another.

According to her Facebook bio, Elena was the head of social media marketing at a Russian-based company called МойОфис – My Office.

She also previously held the title of public relations specialist at a separate firm with her social media accounts filled with her global travel adventures.

In October, the 33-year-old travelled to the Caucasus Nature Reserve, a Russian nature sanctuary covering a heavily mountainous section of the Northwest Caucasus Mountains, where she shared stunning pictures of her hike.

For her latest trip, she was heading to Nepal. However, Elena was among four Russians who died on the flight. The others named as Viktoria Altunina, Yuri Lugin and Viktor Lagin.

Russian ambassador to Nepal Alexei Novikov said he is currently in constant contact with the Nepalese authorities and will provide all necessary assistance to the relatives of the dead Russians.

In total, there were 72 people on board the ATR-72 turboprop, reportedly including an Australian, when it crashed on Sunday .

At least 68 of the passengers and crew were confirmed to have died, the police said, however it is not known if the Australian is among the dead.

Hundreds of rescue workers helped scour the site in the hope of finding someone still alive. However the search for survivors has now been called off.

The plane was flying from Kathmandu, the capital of the Himalayan kingdom, to the central town of Pokhara when it crashed and caught fire, sending thick black smoke into the sky, according to The Times News Service.

Footage moments before crash

Horrifying footage has emerged appearing to show the final moments of the doomed passenger plane before it crashed.

The video, which has been shared on social media, shows what is reported to be the Yeti Airlines plane flying low towards what appears to be a residential building before abruptly turning 90 degrees and coming even lower to the ground.

It then disappears from view before the camera is turned towards the ground. Then there is a loud noise, followed by what sounds like screams.

Journalist for the BBC and CNN, Wajahat Kazmi, shared the footage and said: “Horrifying last moments of an ATR plane crash from Nepal.”

Airline spokesman Sudarshan Bartaula told the plane crashed between the old and new Pokhara airports in central Nepal.

Straight after the crash, the wreckage was on fire and rescue workers were trying to put out the blaze, said local official Gurudutta Dhakal.

Horrifying last moments of an ATR plane crash from Nepal in Pokhara that was bound for Kathmandu. All 72 people on board are dead. pic.twitter.com/4JZIvnThPQ — Wajahat Kazmi (@KazmiWajahat) January 15, 2023

Arun Tamu, a local resident, told Reuters that he had witness the aftermath of the crash.

“Half of the plane is on the hillside. The other half has fallen into the gorge of the Seti River.”

“Responders have already reached there and trying to douse the fire. All agencies are now focused on first dousing the fire and rescuing the passengers,” Mr Dhakal said.

The Yeti Airlines’ ATR-72 was 15 years old. The French/Italian aircraft type is popular around the world and is primarily used on shorter, regional routes. None are operated by Australian airlines but the ATR-72 is in service with Air New Zealand which has 29 in its fleet.

More Coverage

Since its introduction in 1989, the ATR-72 has been involved in 12 fatal incidents with around 400 fatalities.

The European Union has banned all Nepali carriers from its airspace over safety concerns since 2013.

– with Kate Schneider and AFP

Karl Stefanovic has ripped into embattled airline Bonza after it left a woman stranded following the death of her father.

An emergency slide fell off a plane while it was in the air has been found in a surprise location.

Police have provided a sad update after an elderly pilot crashed his plane upon landing at an Australian airport.

First Nepal plane crash victim named as blogger whose final post was selfie in her seat

Nepal plane crash victim Elena Banduro, 33, from Moscow, had posted excitedly on her social media account about her upcoming trip with a message reading: "Go to Nepal"

• 15:13, 15 Jan 2023

The first victim of the devastating Nepal plane crash has been pictured.

Moscow travel blogger Elena Banduro, 33, uploaded an excited post about her trip just moments before the tragic flight came down as it approached Pokhara International Airport in the South Asian country today.

Taking an image of herself on the plane , she captioned it with "Go to Nepal" in English.

Her social media was today full of messages of condolences, and she was described as “the brightest, kindest soul we knew”.

The tragic blogger worked as a social media manager and travelled widely.

Three other Russians died on the flight, named as Viktoria Altunina, Yuri Lugin and Viktor Lagin.

Earlier the Russian ambassador to Nepal, Alexei Novikov, confirmed the death of four compatriots aboard the crashed plane.

“Unfortunately, four citizens of the Russian Federation died,” he said.

“We are in constant contact with the Nepalese authorities and will provide all necessary assistance to the relatives of the dead Russians.”

A total of 15 foreigners were among the 72 on board the stricken aircraft, including five Indians, four Russians, two South Koreans and one each from Argentina and France.

The passenger list included an Irish citizen, as well as an Australian.

Earlier today, a distressing video showed the moment the plane lost control in mid-air just seconds before it crashed.

The low-flying plane ATR-72 twin engine turboprop plane en route from Kathmandu to Pokhara was seen on the video lurching to the right and apparently overturning as it hit the ground.

The footage filmed from a terrace included the noise of the moment of impact after the aircraft came down behind the building.

There was an explosion and huge flames at the crash site.

Thick smoke rose from the wreckage.

Reports said the aircraft crashed into forested land on the banks of the Seti Gandaki River.

It is believed there were 68 passengers and four crew on board the flight.

Dozens of corpses were pulled out of the wreckage.

"We expect to recover more bodies," said army spokesman Krishna Bhandari .

”The plane has broken into pieces.”

Flying conditions appeared good at the time the plane came down.

MORE ON Russia Nepal Nepal plane crash Planes Aviation

Get email updates with the day's biggest stories.

• Economy & Markets
• Digital Life

Nepal Plane Crash: Travel Blogger On Ill-Fated Aircraft Shared Selfie Moments Before Tragedy

• Elena Banduro, 33, died in the tragic plane crash Sunday
• Her family said she learned only a week ago that she is pregnant
• "Go to Nepal," read the text on Banduro's selfie shared on social media

A 33-year-old Russian travel blogger who died in the tragic Nepal plane crash Sunday shared her final moments in a chilling selfie posted on her social media account.

In the picture, Elena Banduro was seen seated inside the aircraft which came crashing down near the city of Pokhara just while landing. Banduro was among the 68 others who died in the most deadly crash in the South Asian nation's history of aviation accidents in 30 years.

"Go to Nepal," the text on her selfie read, as reported by 7 News .

Earlier, the Russian ambassador to Nepal, Alexei Novikov, confirmed the deaths of four compatriots in the Sunday crash. Banduro's loved ones were able to identify the young blogger after bodies were recovered from the crash site.

Banduro, a social media manager from Moscow was traveling to Nepal to meet her husband and she recently learned she was pregnant, her sister, Ksenia told Russian media outlet KP RU .

"Everything was fine, she talked about her impressions, about plans for a vacation," Ksenia said Banduro told her just a day ago. "At 4.59 am Moscow time, she wrote to me: 'Good morning, in Nepal 7.44am. I go to the airport area, now I have a flight to the city of Pokhara."

The ATR 72-passenger plane of Yeti Airlines had a total of 72 passengers on board, including four crew members. 15 of the 72 passengers were foreign nationals, including five Indians, four Russians, two South Koreans, and one each from Argentina and France.

The ill-fated aircraft took off from Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu at 10:33 a.m. local time, Teller Report reported, citing the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN).

A search and rescue operation involving local authorities and residents was underway. Gut-wrenching footage that surfaced online showed the aircraft engulfed in flames and thick plumes of smoke coming from the wreckage. One clip shared on Twitter showed the plane flying at a low altitude over a residential area before lurching to the left and crashing with a loud boom.

© Copyright IBTimes 2024. All rights reserved.

G7 Holds 'Strategic' Talks In Climate Hotspot Italy

Will He Resign Or Not? Spain Awaits PM's Decision

Olympic Deal Shows Bubbling Market For Zero-alcohol Beers

Migrants Eyeing Europe Bide Their Time In Tunisia

Fed's Favored Inflation Measure Accelerates, Dimming Rate Cut Hopes

Barking Mad? Milei's Attachment To 'Dead' Dog Raises Sanity Worries

Microsoft Expands Its AI Empire Abroad

Oil: 'Mother Of Corruption' In Venezuela

'Extreme' Climate Blamed For World's Worst Wine Harvest In 62 Years

Macron Warns 'Mortal' Europe Needs Credible Defence

Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

UK Edition Change

• UK Politics
• News Videos
• Paris 2024 Olympics
• Rugby Union
• Sport Videos
• John Rentoul
• Mary Dejevsky
• Andrew Grice
• Sean O’Grady
• Photography
• Theatre & Dance
• Culture Videos
• Food & Drink
• Health & Families
• Royal Family
• Electric Vehicles
• Car Insurance deals
• Lifestyle Videos
• UK Hotel Reviews
• News & Advice
• Simon Calder
• Australia & New Zealand
• South America
• C. America & Caribbean
• Middle East
• Politics Explained
• News Analysis
• Today’s Edition
• Home & Garden
• Broadband deals
• Fashion & Beauty
• Travel & Outdoors
• Sports & Fitness
• Sustainable Living
• Climate Videos
• Solar Panels
• Behind The Headlines
• On The Ground
• Decomplicated
• You Ask The Questions
• Binge Watch
• Travel Smart
• Watch on your TV
• Crosswords & Puzzles
• Most Commented
• Newsletters
• Ask Me Anything
• Virtual Events
• Betting Sites
• Online Casinos
• Wine Offers

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in Please refresh your browser to be logged in

Nepal plane crash: Two Americans confirmed as victims

All 72 people aboard the yeti airlines flight to pokhara are said to have been killed, article bookmarked.

Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails

Sign up to our free breaking news emails, thanks for signing up to the breaking news email.

Two US citizens and two permanent US residents were among the 72 people killed on Sunday when a Yeti Airlines flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara crashed.

The flight has been confirmed to have been carrying passengers from the US, Nepal, India, Australia, Argentina, Russia, the UK, and beyond.

State Department spokesman Ned Price revealed the Americans’ deaths during a briefing Wednesday and issued a statement, per ABC News : “We are deeply saddened to hear of the tragic Yeti Airlines crash over the weekend, which killed 72 people, including two U.S. citizens and two lawful permanent residents. Our thoughts are with the families of those on board.”

Among the victims were three Christian worshippers returning from a minister's funeral, a hotel manager with a passion for mountaineering, a folk singer with a sizable following on TikTok, and a travel blogger who had just told her followers: "Go to Nepal!"

Minutes after that post, the plane crashed into a gorge while attempting to land, killing all aboard, including four crew members.

Here's what we know about the victims of the Nepal air crash.

A Nepalese folk singer and TikTok star

Nira Chhantyal was a well-known Nepali folk singer who often posted videos of her performances and lip-syncing to Hindi songs to her roughly 125,000 TikTok followers.

And, according to her Facebook page, as first reported by Insider , she was travelling to Pokhara to perform at an event when she was caught up in the disaster.

Less than an hour before the flight, she had posted on her Facebook page in honour of the Maghe Sankranti festival, which marks the winter solstice.

“On the auspicious occasion of Maghe Sankranti, I express my best wishes to all the parents, brothers and sisters living in the country and abroad,” wrote Ms Chhantyal.

Since then, comments under her posts have been flooded with fans and well-wishers expressing their sorrow at her death.

"You left, your memories are still remembered. We won't meet now," said one, with a string of weeping emoji. Another said: "You went to Pokhara but left in a way that you will never return. Heartfelt condolences."

Three Christians returning from a funeral in India

Raju Thakuri, Rabin Hamal and Anil Shahi were three men from Nepal who were reportedly returning to Pokhara from the funeral of a Christian evangelist.

According to The Times of India , the three men had been paying their respects to Mathew Philip at his hometown in the Indian state of Kerala.

Mr Philip had been a Christian minister for 45 years in Nepal until two years ago, when he returned to Kerala after being diagnosed with cancer.

His son Joel Mathew told the Times that Mr Mathew had been a father figure to the three men and their two surviving companions, who had parted from them in Kathmandu, Nepal.

"They spent the whole day at the church and at home and left in the evening after the funeral," said Mr Mathew.

"At the Anickad Brethren Assembly, where the mortal remains of my grandfather were kept for public homage, they sang a Nepalese song which my grandpa liked most. They also spoke about him and how he had influenced their lives."

Aussie teacher who ‘lived life to the fullest’

Another victim was Myron William Love, a 29-year-old Australian teacher who was described by the country’s media as an avid surfer, cyclist, and traveller.

“It is with extreme sadness to say we have lost one of the best humans I have ever known,” said Sydney artist James Lesjak-Atton on Instagram, according to The Guardian (the post is no longer accessible).

“Myron was one of the loves of my life. A truly kind, fun, energetic man. We will forever love you my man.”

In a statement given out through Australia’s foreign ministry, Mr Love’s family and that of his partner Annabelle Bailey said: "We would like to express our deep gratitude for the amazing support shown to us by our family and friends in this time of need.

“Myron has been a rock to both of our families for many years and he has always lived his life to the fullest. He has put so much into his short life that most of us couldn’t fit into our lifetime.

"We do request at this time that you offer us peace and privacy for us to grieve, and deal with this tragedy."

Russian travel blogger's last selfie: 'Go to Nepal!'

Elena Banduro, 33, a social media manager from Moscow and travel blogger, shared a selfie from the Yeti Airlines flight on Sunday moments before it crashed.

She captioned her last selfie: "Go to Nepal!"

Her Facebook and Instagram pages have since filled up with messages offering condolences for her death, with some calling her the “brightest” and “kindest soul”.

"Fly high sis, and go to the places you dreamt of going," a friend posted on her wall. The Russian Ambassador to Nepal, Alexei Novikov, has confirmed the death of four Russian citizens who were on board the plane.

The other three have been identified as Viktoria Altunina, Yuri Lugin and Viktor Lagin.

A former cop who became a Buddhist teacher

Arun Paudel, 47, was flying with his daughter Prasiddi on his way back to the school he had founded in Lumbini in 2013.

The institution, known as the Vishow Ekata Academy, teaches children English, Korean, and information technology skills.

Mr Paudel had worked as a police officer in Nepal before being introduced to Buddhism by his brother. He studied religion in South Korea before becoming a Buddhist minister himself in 2009.

Park Dae-seong, a spokesperson for the Won Buddhist order, confirmed Mr Paudel and his daughter's deaths on Monday.

'Now there's no one left in his family to earn'

The Associated Press interviewed several other Nepali families of people who died in the crash.

Bimala Bhenderi told the agency that she was hoping to meet her friend Tribhuban Paudel on Tuesday, then heard that his flight had crashed. "I'm so sad, I can't believe it still," she said, visibly tearful.

A man named Bikash Jaiswal said he was asked to identify his brother-in-law Sanjay Jaiswal, but could only do so via the ring he wore. He said he had not yet told his wife, the man's sister, who had just given birth to their daughter.

Mr Jaiswal worked as a marketing agent for a private pharmaceutical company in Kathmandu, and was flying to Pokhara for the birth. After the crash, his body was kept in the same hospital where his niece was born.

"He was a hardworking person, and now there´s no one left in his family to earn," Bikash Jaiswal said.

British ballet dancer described as 'sunshine'

Ruan Calum Crighton was a British ballet dancer from Brentwood, Essex, who had performed with the national ballet companies of Finland and Slovakia.

"I got the info yesterday, but I was hoping it wasn’t him," said one of his friends in the industry, who works at the Slovak National Theatre. "Ruan was one of my best friends. We dance together on stage for years… I’m devastated.

"It is very hard to say something about [him] right now. But first, he was a sunshine."

A BBC news article in 2008 described Mr Crighton as "set for stardom". He was initially misidentified as a citizen of Ireland, but that was corrected by the Irish government on Monday.

'Going to Nepal was her dream as a mountaineer'

An Argentine hotel manager with a passion for climbing and the outdoors has also been named as one of the crash victims.

Jannet Palavecino, 57, from Neuquén province in western Argentina, was on holiday enjoying Nepal's towering mountains when she died, according to the Argentine newspaper Clarín .

The Palevecino family is reportedly known locally for running the Hotel Suizo, having arrived in Argentina from mountainous Switzerland at the beginning of the 20th century.

"Jannet Palavecino, may you rest in peace. We will miss you and always keep you in our memory. My greetings and condolences to all the family and affections," said Neuquén governor Omar Gutierrez on Sunday.

"Going to Nepal was her dream as a mountaineer," one of Ms Palavecino's friends posted on social media.

Another said: "Maximum respect and admiration for a powerful woman who lived and died fulfilling her dreams."

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article

Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.

New to The Independent?

Or if you would prefer:

Want an ad-free experience?

Hi {{indy.fullName}}

• My Independent Premium
• Account details
• Help centre

• Insider Reviews
• Tech Buying Guides
• Personal Finance
• Insider Explainers
• Sustainability
• United States
• International
• Deutschland & Österreich
• South Africa

• Home ›
• international ›
• news »

A folk singer, a Russian travel blogger, and an Argentine hotelier are among the 68 who died in the Nepal plane crash

• At least 68 people died on Sunday in a plane crash near Pokhara, Nepal.
• The victims include a Nepali folk singer, an Argentine hotelier, and a Russian travel blogger.

At least 68 passengers died in a plane crash on Sunday in central Nepal, and information is beginning to emerge about who they were.

The flight, run by Nepali carrier Yeti Airlines, crashed near Pokhara airport at around 10:50 a.m., Reuters reported. It was only meant to last 30 minutes.

Four crew and 68 passengers were on board the ATR 72 plane. Among the dead were a Nepali folk singer, a Russian travel blogger, and an Argentine hotelier.

Nepali folk singer Nira Chhantyal

Nira Chhantyal, the folk singer, was traveling to Pokhara to perform at an event on Monday, according to her Facebook page.

She had 125,100 followers on Tiktok , where she posted videos of herself singing, dancing and lip syncing to songs in Nepali.

She posted a celebratory greeting for the Nepali festival of Maghe Sankranti on Facebook on Sunday, less than an hour before the crash.

On Saturday, Chhantyal posted a series of photos of her singing and posing at a community event in Kathmandu. "Now we enjoy Pokhara tomorrow," she wrote.

Russian travel blogger Elena Banduro

Elena Banduro, a 33-year-old travel blogger, posted a selfie of herself on a plane with the caption: "Go to Nepal!" before the plane went down, according to the British news site Metro.

She worked as a social-media manager for a software company, according to her Facebook page . She documented her travels in Russia, Europe, and Asia on her Instagram page and her blog.

Banduro was one of four Russians in the crash. The Russian ambassador to Nepal, Alexei Novikov, confirmed that all four Russian had died, according to the state-run TASS news agency.

Argentine hotelier Jannet Palavecino

Jannet Palavecino was the manager of the Hotel Suizo in Neuquen city, according to her Facebook page. Her page described her as a lover of cycling, mountains, gardening, and painting.

Palavecino was 57, according to Argentine newspaper Clarin.

The governor of Neuquen province, Omar Gutierrez, tweeted his condolences for Palavecino's passing on Sunday. "We will miss you and always keep you in our memory," he wrote.

Neuquen's local soccer club, Atletico Pacifico, wrote on Facebook that Palavecino was the sister of its former president, Omar Palavecino.

"From the football subcommission, we send our condolences to Omar and family and we accompany them in this difficult time," wrote the club.

• Nothing Phone (2a) blue edition launched
• JNK India IPO allotment date
• JioCinema New Plans
• Realme Narzo 70 Launched
• Apple Let Loose event
• Elon Musk Apology
• RIL cash flows
• Charlie Munger
• Feedbank IPO allotment
• Tata IPO allotment
• Most generous retirement plans
• Broadcom lays off
• Cibil Score vs Cibil Report
• Birla and Bajaj in top Richest
• Nestle Sept 2023 report
• India Equity Market
• Best printers for Home
• Best Mixer Grinder
• Best wired Earphones
• Best 43 Inch TV in India
• Best Wi Fi Routers
• Best Vacuum Cleaner
• Best Home Theatre in India
• Smart Watch under 5000
• Best Laptops for Education
• Best Laptop for Students

• Advertising
• Write for Us
• Privacy Policy
• Policy News
• Personal Finance News
• Mobile News
• Business News
• Ecommerce News
• Startups News
• Stock Market News
• Finance News
• Entertainment News
• Economy News
• Careers News
• International News
• Politics News
• Education News
• Advertising News
• Health News
• Science News
• Retail News
• Sports News
• Personalities News
• Corporates News
• Environment News
• Nothing Phone (2a) India-exclusive edition launched
• JNK India IPO allotment
• JioCinema New Subscription Plans
• Realme 70X 5G Launched
• Apple Let Loose Launch event
• Top 10 Richest people
• Top 10 Largest Economies
• Lucky Color for 2023
• How to check pan and Aadhaar
• Deleted Whatsapp Messages
• How to restore deleted messages
• 10 types of Drinks
• Instagram Sad Face Filter
• Unlimited Wifi Plans
• Recover Whatsapp Messages
• Google Meet
• Check Balance in SBI
• How to check Vodafone Balance
• Transfer Whatsapp Message

Copyright © 2024 . Times Internet Limited. All rights reserved.For reprint rights. Times Syndication Service.

NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

Travel blogger posted excited selfie before dying alongside 67 others in plane crash

Share this with

The first victim of the devastating Nepal plane crash that killed at least 68 people has been pictured.

Elena Banduro, 33, posted a smiling selfie moments before the aircraft plummeted into a gorge and burst into flames in Pokhara.

The Russian travel blogger excitedly told her followers on social media about her trip.

Uploading an image of herself on the plane, she wrote: ‘Go to Nepal!’

From Moscow, Elena worked as a social media manager and travelled widely. 

Tributes flooded in for her today on social media, with one naming her ‘the brightest, kindest soul we knew’.

Fifteen foreigners and four crew members were among the 72 people on board the plane, which was attempting to land at a newly-opened airport.

Rescuers combed the wreckage on the edge of the cliff and in the ravine below.

It’s currently unclear what caused the tragedy – the country’s deadliest aviation accident in three decades.

Three other Russians died on the 27-minute Yeti Airlines flight, named as Viktoria Altunina, Yuri Lugin and Viktor Lagin.

This was confirmed by Russian ambassador to Nepal, Alexei Novikov, who said authorities were supporting the families of the victims.

Other foreigners onboard included five Indians, four Russians, two South Koreans, and one each from Ireland, Australia, Argentina and France.

Local Bishnu Tiwari, who rushed to the crash site to help the search, said rescue efforts were hampered because of thick smoke and a raging fire that engulfed the aircraft.

‘The flames were so hot that we couldn’t go near the wreckage’, he said.

Another witness said he saw the aircraft spinning violently in the air after it began to attempt a landing. 

Gaurav Gurung claimed the plane fell nose-first towards its left and then crashed into the gorge.

Family members of the victims were seen looking distraught as they were escorted inside at Kathmandu airport, where the flight had started out.

The twin-engine ATR 72 aircraft last made contact with the airport from near Seti Gorge at 10.50am local time, the aviation authority said.

Tek Bahadur KC, a senior administrative officer in the Kaski district, said he expected rescue workers to find more bodies at the bottom of the gorge.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who rushed to the airport after the disaster, has confirmed an investigation has been launched.

‘The incident was tragic’, he said. ‘The full force of the Nepali army, police has been deployed for rescue.’

Nepal has a tragic history of fatal airline accidents, with remote runways and sudden weather changes sometimes making for hazardous conditions.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected] .

For more stories like this, check our news page .

Sign Up for News Updates

Get your need-to-know latest news, feel-good stories, analysis and more.

Privacy Policy

Get us in your feed

• Breaking News
• University Guide
• Meghan Markle
• Prince Harry
• King Charles III

First Nepal plane crash victim is named as Russian travel blogger, 33: Passenger posted selfie from her seat with message 'Go to Nepal' before Yeti Airline aircraft came down on route from Kathmandu to tourist town

• Russian travel blogger Elena Banduro, 33, was among those killed in Nepal 
• She posted excitedly 'Go to Nepal' about her latest trip, showing her on a plane
• There were 72 people on the twin-engine ATR 72 aircraft run by Yeti Airlines
• Hundreds of rescuers scoured the gorge today where 15-year-old plane crashed

By Will Stewart and Stewart Carr For Mailonline

Published: 11:00 EDT, 15 January 2023 | Updated: 16:10 EDT, 15 January 2023

View comments

One of those killed in the Nepal plane crash was Moscow travel blogger Elena Banduro, 33, who shared her worldwide adventures online.

She posted excitedly about her latest trip showing her on a plane with the message in English: 'Go to Nepal'.

Her social media was today full of messages of condolences, and she was described as 'the brightest, kindest soul we knew'.

The tragic blogger worked as a social media manager and travelled widely. Three other Russians died on the flight, named as Viktoria Altunina, Yuri Lugin and Viktor Lagin.

One of those killed in the Nepal plane crash was Moscow travel blogger Elena Banduro, 33, who shared her worldwide adventures online

Miss Banduro posted excitedly about her latest trip showing her on a plane with the message in English: 'Go to Nepal'

The tragic blogger worked as a social media manager and travelled widely. Three other Russians died on the flight, named as Viktoria Altunina, Yuri Lugin and Viktor Lagin

RELATED ARTICLES

Share this article

Earlier the Russian ambassador to Nepal, Alexei Novikov, confirmed the death of four compatriots aboard the crashed plane.

'Unfortunately, four citizens of the Russian Federation died,' he said.

'We are in constant contact with the Nepalese authorities and will provide all necessary assistance to the relatives of the dead Russians.'

A total of 15 foreigners were among the 72 on board the stricken plane.

Police have confirmed at least 68 people were killed today when a domestic flight crashed into a gorge while landing at a newly opened airport in the central resort town of Pokhara.

Harrowing footage showed the plane moments before the disaster - which is the small Himalayan country's worst crash in nearly five years.

Hundreds of rescue workers continued to scour the hillside site where the plane of domestic carrier Yeti Airlines, flying from the capital Kathmandu, went down.

'Rescue operations are on. Weather was clear,' said Jagannath Niroula, a spokesman for Nepal civil aviation authority, which confirmed the latest death toll as 44. Elsewhere, Gurudatta Dhakal, assistant chief official of Kaski district, said some survivors had been taken to hospital.

Local television showed thick black smoke billowing from the crash site as rescue workers and crowds of people gathered around the wreckage of the aircraft.

Rescue teams work at the crash site of a Yeti Airlines ATR72 aircraft in Pokhara, central Nepal

Pieces of the wreckage have been salvaged from the gorge in Pokhara, Nepal, where 68 people are confirmed to have lost their lives

Hundreds of rescue workers, members of the armed forces and locals crowd around the crash site in Pokhara, Nepal 

There were 72 people on the twin-engine ATR 72 aircraft operated by Nepal's Yeti Airlines, including two infants and ten foreign nationals

Rescuers gather at the site of a plane crash in Pokhara today

Crowds gather at the crash site of an aircraft carrying 72 people in Pokhara in western Nepal

The plane was attempting to land into the newly opened airport in Pokhara when it crashed into the gorge

A spokesman for Nepal's army said they expected to find more bodies in the wreckage

IRISH GOVERMENT IS 'AWARE' OF NATIONAL LOST IN DISASTER

The Irish Government is 'aware' of reports that an Irish person was among the passengers on a plane that crashed in Nepal.

At least 68 people are thought to have died after the passenger aircraft crashed into a gorge while landing at a newly opened airport in central Nepal on Sunday.

Rescue and recovery efforts are ongoing, with videos on social media showing smoke billowing from the crash site.

A spokesman said the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs was aware of reports that an Irish citizen was among the passengers on board.

'The Department of Foreign Affairs is aware of reports of the involvement of an Irish citizen in an airplane crash in Nepal, and stands ready to provide consular assistance if requested,' it said.

A total of 15 foreign nationals were on board the plane, according to Nepal's aviation authority.

The plane had been travelling from the capital Kathmandu to Pokhara International Airport, which began operations only two weeks ago.

It was not immediately clear what caused the crash.

Local TV showed rescue workers scrambling around broken sections of the aircraft. Some of the ground near the crash site was scorched, with licks of flames visible.

'The plane is burning,' said police official Ajay K.C., adding that rescue workers were having difficulty reaching the site in a gorge between two hills near the tourist town's airport.

The craft made contact with the airport from Seti Gorge at 10:50 a.m. (0505 GMT), the aviation authority said in a statement. 'Then it crashed.'

'Half of the plane is on the hillside,' said Arun Tamu, a local resident, who told Reuters he reached the site minutes after the plane went down. 'The other half has fallen into the gorge of the Seti river.'

Khum Bahadur Chhetri said he watched from the roof of his house as the flight approached.

'I saw the plane trembling, moving left and right, and then suddenly its nose dived and it went into the gorge,' Chhetri told Reuters, adding that local residents took two passengers to a hospital.

The crash is Nepal's deadliest since March 2018, when a US-Bangla Dash 8 turboprop flight from Dhaka crashed on landing in Kathmandu, killing 51 of the 71 people on board , according to Aviation Safety Network.

In May 2022, all 22 people  died on board a plane operated by Nepali carrier Tara Air - including 16 Nepalis, four Indians and two Germans - when it crashed o a slope.

There were 72 people on the twin-engine ATR 72 aircraft operated by Yeti in today's disaster, including two infants and four crew members, said airline spokesman Sudarshan Bartaula.

The plane had five Indians, four Russians, one Irish, two South Korean, one Australian, one French and one Argentinian national onboard, a Nepal airport official said.

The plane was 15 years old, according to flight tracking website FlightRadar24.

The plane, operated by domestic carrier Yeti Airlines (pictured) was 15 years old, according to flight tracking website FlightRadar24

'We expect to recover more bodies,' said army spokesman Krishna Bhandari. 'The plane has broken into pieces.'

Russian Ambassador to Nepal Alexei Novikov confirmed the death of four Russians aboard the crashed plane.

'Unfortunately, four citizens of the Russian Federation died. We are in constant contact with the Nepalese authorities and will provide all necessary assistance to the relatives of the dead Russians,' he said.

A South Korean embassy official said: 'Two South Koreans are on the list of passengers. We are trying to confirm whether they were actually on board and their identities.'

Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, also known as Prachanda (centre), receives information from officials about the tragedy in Pokhara

44 bodies are reported to have been recovered from the wreckage of the plane

Locals watch the wreckage of a passenger plane in Pokhara

Life in the central resort of Pokhara has ground to a standstill after the shocking crash earlier today

Hundreds of onlookers rushed to the crash site, where the remains of the plane were engulfed in flames

Rescue workers near the charred wreckage of the Yeti Airlines plane in Pokhara 

So far, rescue workers have recovered the remains of 44 people from the crash site, with many more unaccounted for

Nepal's Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal said he was 'deeply saddened by the sad and tragic accident.'

Nepalese Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia tweeted condolences.

'The loss of lives in a tragic plane crash in Nepal is extremely unfortunate. My thoughts & prayers are with the families of the bereaved,' said the official.

The ATR72 is a widely used twin engine turboprop plane manufactured by a joint venture of Airbus and Italy's Leonardo. Yeti Airlines has a fleet of six ATR72-500 planes, according to its website.

Air accidents are not uncommon in Nepal, home to eight of the world's 14 highest mountains, including Everest, as the weather can change suddenly and make for hazardous conditions.

Nepal's Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal said he was 'deeply saddened by the sad and tragic accident' and held an emergency cabinet meeting

Thick plumes of smoke followed in the aftermath of the tragic crash

Crowds gather as rescue teams work to retrieve bodies at the crash site of the aircraft

The plane crashed into a gorge after takeoff from the Pokhara International Airport

Hundreds of locals in Pokhara look down into the gorge as rescue workers continue the task of retrieving bodies from the crash site

Prime Minister Dahal has called an emergency cabinet meeting after the plane crash, a government statement said.

Nepal's air industry has boomed in recent years, carrying goods and people between hard-to-reach areas as well as foreign trekkers and climbers.

But it has been plagued by poor safety due to insufficient training and maintenance.

The European Union has banned all Nepali carriers from its airspace over safety concerns.

The Himalayan country also has some of the world's most remote and tricky runways, flanked by snow-capped peaks with approaches that pose a challenge even for accomplished pilots.

Aircraft operators have said Nepal lacks infrastructure for accurate weather forecasts, especially in remote areas with challenging mountainous terrain where deadly crashes have taken place in the past.

The weather can also change quickly in the mountains, creating treacherous flying conditions.

Share or comment on this article: Russian travel blogger, 33, named among the 68 dead in Nepal airplane disaster

Most watched news videos.

• Shocking moment gunman allegedly shoots and kills Iraqi influencer
• Shocking moment group of yobs kill family's peacock with slingshot
• Fiona Beal dances in front of pupils months before killing her lover
• Commuters evacuate King's Cross station as smoke fills the air
• Circus acts in war torn Ukraine go wrong in un-BEAR-able ways
• Pro-Palestinian protesters are arrested by police at Virginia Tech
• Pro-Palestine protester shouts 'we don't like white people' at UCLA
• Jewish man is threatened by a group of four men in north London
• Elephant returns toddler's shoe after it falls into zoo enclosure
• Moment £21,000 Ukrainian drone knocks out £6m Russian radar system
• Humza Yousaf officially resigns as First Minister of Scotland

Comments 61

Share what you think

• Worst rated

The comments below have been moderated in advance.

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

We are no longer accepting comments on this article.

• Follow DailyMail
• Subscribe Daily Mail
• Follow @dailymail
• Follow MailOnline
• Follow Daily Mail

From the Makers of Candy Crush

• Back to top

Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd

Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

Nepal plane crash: last moments inside cabin caught on passenger’s Facebook live video

Harrowing footage shows passengers had no idea plane was in danger before crash

In the moments before Nepal’s deadliest air crash in decades on Sunday, four friends from India who were onboard began excitedly recording the descent on a Facebook live video.

They were heading to Pokhara for the trip of a lifetime, intending to visit temples and paraglide in Nepal’s famed Annapurna mountain range. “It’s really fun,” one of the men can be heard on the video surveying the city below as the plane began its descent. The friends can be heard laughing and joking as the camera is turned on a smiling Sonu Jaiswal, a 29-year-old father-of-three, who ran a small business back home in India.

All appears calm in the plane, with no emergency announcements or warnings from the pilot or staff. But suddenly, the plane appears to veer off with a loud roar, and the sounds of it crashing to the ground are captured on the phone camera, before the screen is filled with flames. The burning debris of the aircraft is momentarily visible on the screen before it goes black. No voices can be heard after that.

The harrowing video indicates that the 68 passengers and four staff onboard the Yeti Airlines flight had no idea the plane was in danger before an explosion just as it was landing.

Vishal Koswal, 21, a close friend of the four men heard in the video, confirmed the authenticity of the video.

He identified the four men, all from Ghazipur district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, as 29-year-old Jaiswal, 28-year-old Anil Rajbhar, 23-year-old Vishal Sharma and Abhishek Singh Kushwaha, 23, who had left for Nepal on 12 January. Local police also confirmed their identities.

Koswal said he had meant to join his four friends on the trip to Nepal but had to stay home after a the death of a relative. During their trip, he had spoken to them many times over video call, including a couple of hours before the crash.

“Sonu was showing us the mountains around on the call and was clearly excited, so were we,” said Koswal. “He told me on that call that after landing in Pokhara, they would visit some temples there and then in the evening take a train back home.”

He described the four friends as like “brothers” and said everyone in the area was “very emotional”. “This all seems like a nightmare, I still cannot believe we have lost all of them,” he added. “I can’t watch that crash video again, it is very hard and painful. A big tragedy has fallen over us.”

On Monday, rescuers continued the search to recover the final four bodies from the wreckage. There was no hope for survivors, said the authorities. The prime minister of Nepal declared a national day of mourning on Monday.

The group of friends from India were among 15 foreign nationals who were onboard the plane. The flight was carrying 57 Nepalis, five Indians, four Russians, two South Koreans, and one person each from Argentina, Britain, Australia and France. It plunged into a gorge moments before it was due to land at Pokhara’s new international airport.

It was Nepal’s worst aviation disaster since 1992, when 167 people died onboard a Pakistan International Airlines flight that crashed on approach to Kathmandu.

The fire and thick smoke, as well as the treacherous terrain, made the rescue efforts by police and army officers challenging. Soldiers used ropes and stretchers to retrieve bodies from the 300-metre (1,000ft) deep ravine late into the night on Sunday. “We have so far sent 63 bodies to the hospital,” said police officer AK Chhetri on Monday.

Arun Tamu, 44, who was about 500 metres away from the site where the plane crashed, told AFP news agency he was among those who ran to the site to try to help. “A few of us rushed to see if we can rescue anybody. I saw at least two women were breathing. The fire was getting very intense and it made it difficult for us to approach closer,” he said.

Nepal’s air industry has boomed in recent years, carrying goods and people between hard-to-reach areas, as well as foreign trekkers and climbers. But it has also been plagued by poor safety due to insufficient training and maintenance . In May 2022, all 22 people onboard a plane operated by Nepali carrier Tara Air died when it crashed , and in March 2018, 51 people died when a US-Bangla Airlines plane crashed near Kathmandu .

The European Union has banned all Nepal airlines from its airspace over safety concerns.

• Air transport
• Plane crashes
• South and central Asia

Most viewed

At Least 69 Killed in Plane Crash in Nepal. Here’s What We Know So Far

A domestic flight traveling from the capital of Nepal, Kathmandu, crashed near Pokhara International Airport on Sunday morning, killing at least 68 people, according to officials.

The aircraft, operated by Nepal’s Yeti Airlines, was holding 68 passengers and four crew members, officials said. Fifteen of these people were international travelers from countries like India, Russia, South Korea, and France. The aircraft was also carrying three infants and three children .

“Pained by the tragic air crash in Nepal in which precious lives have been lost, including Indian nationals,” tweeted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday. “In this hour of grief, my thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families.”

What happened to Flight NYT 691

Flight NYT 691, an ATR 72-500 aircraft, was flying from the capital of Kathmandu to Pokhara, and was scheduled to be a short, 24-minute-long trip. The plane left Kathmandu at 10:32 a.m. and last made contact with the tower at 10:50 a.m. Local media reports say that the pilot requested the aircraft land on a different runway before crashing on the bank of the Seti River, according to the Aviation Safety Network .

Authorities and rescue teams rushed to the crash site to conduct a search and rescue operation, according to Nepal’s civil aviation authority.

The cause of the crash—which occurred in mild weather less than a minute before the plane was due to arrive—is still under investigation. Yeti Airlines said they would be canceling all flights on Monday to mourn the victims of the crash.

When officials resumed searching the crash site on Monday, the flight data recorder and a cockpit voice recorder were retrieved, said a spokesperson for the civil aviation authority. Both “black boxes” will be handed over to investigators, Yeti Airlines confirmed.

ATR released a statement on Sunday following the crash.

“Our first thoughts are with all the individuals affected by this,” the statement read. “ATR specialists are fully engaged to support both the investigation and the customer.”

Who was killed in the crash?

The Civil Aviation Authority said 38 people have now been identified. These fatalities include a pharmaceutical marketing agent traveling to see his pregnant sister who was due to give birth, and the minister of a Korean religious group returning to the school he founded, the Associated Press reported.

Jannet Palavecino, an Argentine passenger and hotel manager, was also killed according to tweets by Omar Gutiérrez, the governor of Argentina’s Neuquen province from which Palavecino hailed from.

Additional victims include Nepali folk singer, Nira Chhantyal—whose Facebook page shows she was traveling to Pokhara to perform at an event on Monday—and 33-year-old Russian travel blogger Elena Banduro, who posted a selfie of herself on a plane with the caption: “Go to Nepal!” ahead of the crash, Britain’s Metro reported .

On Monday, many of the victims’ families and friends gathered outside Pokhara Academy of Health and Science, Western Hospital, where the bodies are being held until postmortems are complete. They are waiting for access to the remains of their loved ones, in order to carry out funeral arrangements.

Nepal’s history of plane crashes

This incident marks Nepal’s worst crash in more than 30 years, when the country suffered two deadly plane crashes in 1992. Those crashes, however, were operated by international airlines from Thailand and Pakistan, and left 113 and 167 people dead.

A 2019 safety report from Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority cites the country’s “hostile topography” and “diverse weather patterns” as the biggest dangers to flights in the country, according to the Associated Press , though the report attributes many accidents to “pilot error.”

Since 2000, nearly 350 people have died in a plane or helicopter crash in Nepal, according to Reuters . The European Commission’s Air Safety List also prohibits all Nepali airlines from operating in Europe due to safety concerns.

“I am deeply saddened by the tragic accident of Yeti Airlines ANC ATR 72, which was flying from Kathmandu to Pokhara with passengers,” tweeted Pushpa Kamal Dahal, the Prime Minister of Nepal. “I sincerely appeal to the security personnel, all agencies of the Nepal government and the general public to start an effective rescue.”

—Armani Syed contributed reporting from London

More Must-Reads From TIME

• The 100 Most Influential People of 2024
• Coco Gauff Is Playing for Herself Now
• Scenes From Pro-Palestinian Encampments Across U.S. Universities
• 6 Compliments That Land Every Time
• If You're Dating Right Now , You're Brave: Column
• The AI That Could Heal a Divided Internet
• Fallout Is a Brilliant Model for the Future of Video Game Adaptations
• Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time

Contact us at [email protected]

• What is Opoyi?
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use

Who was Elena Banduro, Russian travel blogger killed in Nepal plane crash?

1 year ago . Pokhara, Nepal

Share a post

2 hours ago . Los Angeles, CA, USA

• Nepal's ATR-72 passenger plane crashed in the city called Pokhara on Sunday
• Among the deceased wasAmong the deceased was Russian travel blogger Elena Banduro
• Banduro, 33, shared her adventures around the globe online

Nepal’s ATR-72 passenger plane crashed in the city called Pokhara on Sunday, 20 minutes after taking off from  Kathmandu , killing at least 68 people on board at the time. Among the deceased was Russian travel blogger Elena Banduro.

Russian ambassador to Nepal , Alexei Novikov, confirmed the death of four compatriots aboard the crashed plane.

Also Read |  Watch: Nepal ATR-72 plane, moments before it crashed in Pokhara

“Unfortunately, four citizens of the Russian Federation died,” he said. “We are in constant contact with the Nepalese authorities and will provide all necessary assistance to the relatives of the dead Russians.” Three other Russians died on the flight, Viktoria Altunina, Yuri Lugin and Viktor Lagin.

I5 foreigners were among the 72 onboard the plane which came to a tragic end including five Indians, four Russians, two South Koreans and one each from Argentina and France . Nepal’s Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal said he was “deeply saddened by the sad and tragic accident.” Nepalese Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia also tweeted condolences.

Also Read |  Provo Airport, Utah plane crash leaves 1 dead, 3 injured

‘The loss of lives in a tragic plane crash in Nepal is extremely unfortunate. My thoughts & prayers are with the families of the bereaved,” said the official.

Who is Elena Banduro?  

Elena Banduro, 33, shared her adventures around the globe online. Her latest trip showed her on a plane with a message in English that said, “Go to Nepal.” 

She posted about her trip just moments before the tragic flight came down as it approached Pokhara International Airport in Nepal.

Also Read |  Carrollton, Texas plane crash near Hebron Parkway: 2 injured taken to hospital

Following her death, Banduro’s social media was full of messages of condolences. She was described as “the brightest, kindest soul we knew.”

The tragic blogger worked as a social media manager and traveled widely. 

Related Articles

Who was Ivan Cantu? Texas man executed in Collin County for double murder

Florida interstate plane crash: Bombardier Challenger 600 jet crashes on I-75 in Naples

Who is Lul Top?

Kendall County schools safe: No shooting at Boerne and Champion high schools confirmed texas

Concord plane crash: One person dies near Buchanan Field Airport in California

Little Rock plane crash: One person dead in Arkansas

loading contents.....

• Firstpost Defence Summit
• Entertainment
• Web Stories
• Health Supplement
• First Sports
• Fast and Factual
• Between The Lines
• Firstpost America

Russian woman vlogger who died in Nepal plane crash was pregnant; loved to travel

Hours after the news of her passing, it was revealed that Elena had uploaded a selfie to her Instagram account with the message “GO TO NEPAL!” just moments before the tragedy

Pokhra (Nepal): 68 passengers and 4 crew members of the Yeti Airlines YT691 perished in what is possibly the deadliest plane disaster in Nepali history on Sunday morning.

The ATR 72 jetliner bound for Pokhara from Kathmandu crashed not far from the city’s airport. On the banks of the Seti Gandaki river, the plane crashed into a forest.

15 of the deceased were foreigners. There were also 5 Indians, 4 Russians, 2 South Koreans, 1 Australian, 1 French, and 1 Argentinian person among them.

Elena Banduro, a 33-year-old Russian traveller and blogger, was one of those whose passing was first announced.

Hours after the news of her passing, it was revealed that Elena had uploaded a selfie to her Instagram account with the message “GO TO NEPAL!” just moments before the tragedy.

It was revealed by her sister that Elena was carrying a baby when she passed away and that she was travelling to Nepal to see her spouse.

Her Facebook bio revealed she was the manager of social media marketing at a business with headquarters in Russia.

Prior to this, she worked as a public relations professional for a different company, chronicling her travels around the world on social media.

In October 2022, Elena had travelled to Caucasus Nature Reserve, a Russian nature sanctuary covering a mountainous section of Northwest Caucasus mountains.

She was in Nepal for yet another adventure.

Last she talked to her sister was a day prior to the tragedy.

Ksenia, her sister said that Elena shared with her about boarding the Yeti airplane. “At 4.59 am (Moscow time), she wrote to me, ‘Good morning, in Nepal, 7.44 am. I go to the airport area, now I have a flight to the city of Pokhara.”

She added that Elena hadn’t disclosed her pregnancy to her family until just last week.

Her last post on Instagram was made on January 5. “Turn up the sound”, the caption, which is translated from Russian.

Her Instagram is filled with images and movies taken in locations including Crimea, Kazakhstan, the Iturup island, and Adam’s Peak in Sri Lanka.

Worst Crash

Locals who raced to the scene to help evacuate victims from the collision site claimed they were unable to do so due to the intense smoke and flames.

Authorities claim that none of the 72 passengers on board the Yeti Airlines flight appear to have survived. There have been 68 bodies found so far, and 4 remain unaccounted for.

Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .

Find us on YouTube

Related Stories

Nepal: Know the Australian teacher who is feared dead in the Yeti airlines' Pokhara plane crash

Global site navigation

• Celebrity biographies
• Messages - Wishes - Quotes
• TV and Movies
• Fashion and style
• Music and singers
• Capital Market
• Celebrities
• Relationships

Local editions

• Habari za Kenya Swahili

Nepal Plane Crash: Travel Blogger Who Perished Had Recently Discovered She Was Pregnant

• "Go to Nepal"
• That was a caption to a final selfie by one of the passengers who died in the plane crash that occurred in Nepal yesterday and killed over 68 people
• Details reveal that the travel blogger named Elena Banduro had recently discovered she was pregnant and shared the news with her family
• She was on her way to visit her husband when their aircraft fell from the skies and immediately caught fire

PAY ATTENTION: Help us change more lives, join TUKO.co.ke’s Patreon programme.

It has emerged that one of the passengers on the ill-fated Yeti Airlines plane that crashed in Nepal and killed over 68 people had recently discovered she was pregnant.

According to to 7News , the travel blogger named Elena Banduro was on her way to spend time with her husband in Nepal when tragedy struck.

Banduro was pregnant

Banduro, a social media manager from Moscow, Russia, had shared a final message on her page hours before her life ended.

Ugandan Woman Arrested for Locking Boyfriend, Her Cousin in Bedroom Setting It on Fire: "Love Triangle"

PAY ATTENTION: Join TUKO.co.ke Telegram channel! Never miss important updates

In the now-chilling post, the 33-year-old shared a selfie of herself smiling while on the plane and captioned it “Go to Nepal.”

Banduro’s sister Ksenia told the media that she had spoken to her sibling the day before she died, just as she was preparing to travel.

“Everything was fine, she talked about her impressions, about plans for a vacation,” disclosed Ksenia.

Ksenia added that Banduro had informed the family just last week that she and her husband were expecting a baby.

Messages of condolences

Since news of her death was announced, social media fans and followers have flooded her page and shared their condolences .

“I can’t believe it,” one of the friends wrote.

“Our light and air. Fly high sis, and go to the places you dreamed of going,” added another.

Plane crashed near Pokhara city

Nepal Plane Crash: Resident Emotionally Recalls Man Crying for Help but Couldn't Rescue Him Due to Fire

The aircraft fell down from the skies near the city of Pokhara in central Nepal in what has been termed as the country’s deadliest plane crash in more than 30 years.

Officials said the plane which was flying from Kathmandu crashed 1.5km away from the airport and immediately caught fire.

Details indicate that out of the 68 passengers who were on board the ATR 72 aircraft, 15 were foreign nationals including five Indians, four Russians, two South Koreans, and one each from Australia, Argentina, Ireland, and France

The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal also announced that among the deceased were four crew members and at least one infant.

PAY ATTENTION: check out news exactly for YOU ➡️ find "Recommended for you" block and enjoy!

Source: TUKO.co.ke

Nepal aircraft that crashed had no thrust motion in engines before landing, accident panel says

A panel investigating the Yeti Airlines crash in Nepal last month, killing 71 people including an Australian, says the aircraft had "no thrust" in its engines in the final moments of its decent.

Key points:

• The crash on January 15 in the tourist city of Pokhra killed 72 passengers and crew on board the Yeti Airlines ATR 72
• Video posted to social media showed the plane flying low before sharply rolling to its left in the air
• 10 foreign nationals were on board the flight, including 29-year-old Sydney teacher Myron Love

The plane crashed just before landing in the tourist city of Pokhra on January 15, in one of Nepal's worst airplane accidents in 30 years.

Analysis of the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder showed the propellers of both engines went into "feather in the base leg of descending," the government-appointed panel said in a statement.

Feathering turns the leading edge of the propeller blade to face forward, in order to reduce drag when gliding.

Aviation expert KB Limbu said propellers going into feather meant there was "no thrust" in the engine, or that it did not produce any power.

Video posted to social media showed the plane flying low before sharply rolling to its left in the air and disappearing out of frame.

There were 72 people onboard the twin-engine ATR 72 aircraft operated by Nepal's Yeti Airlines, including two infants, four crew members and 10 foreign nationals.

Rescuers recovered 71 bodies, with one person unaccounted-for presumed to be dead.

Among the foreign nationals on board was 29-year-old Sydney teacher Myron Love .

The family of Mr Love, and of his partner Annabelle Bailey, released a joint statement through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade shortly after the crash.

"We would like to express our deep gratitude for the amazing support shown to us by our family and friends in this time of need," the statement read.

"Myron has been a rock to both of our families for many years and he has always lived his life to the fullest."

Nepal's deadly aviation history

Nepal, home to eight of the world's 14 highest mountains including Mount Everest, has a history of air crashes.

January's crash was Nepal's deadliest since 1992, when all 167 people aboard a Pakistan International Airlines Airbus A300 were killed when it crashed into a hill as it tried to land in Kathmandu.

According to the Flight Safety Foundation's Aviation Safety database, there have been 42 fatal plane crashes in Nepal since 1946.

The European Union has banned airlines from Nepal from flying into the 27-nation bloc since 2013, citing weak safety standards.

In 2017, the International Civil Aviation Organization cited improvements in Nepal's aviation sector, but the EU continues to demand administrative reforms.

ABC/Reuters

• X (formerly Twitter)

Related Stories

Black box from crashed nepalese plane to be sent to singapore.

Folk singer, travel blogger, ballet dancer among victims of Nepal plane crash

'Lived his life to the fullest': Family tribute for Sydney teacher killed in Nepal plane crash

• Air and Space Accidents and Incidents

• Election 2024
• Entertainment
• Newsletters
• Photography
• Personal Finance
• AP Investigations
• AP Buyline Personal Finance
• AP Buyline Shopping
• Press Releases
• Israel-Hamas War
• Russia-Ukraine War
• Global elections
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East
• Election Results
• Delegate Tracker
• AP & Elections
• Auto Racing
• 2024 Paris Olympic Games
• Movie reviews
• Book reviews
• Personal finance
• Financial Markets
• Business Highlights
• Financial wellness
• Artificial Intelligence
• Social Media

68 dead, 4 missing after plane crashes in Nepal resort town

A plane making a 27-minute flight to a Nepal tourist town crashed into a gorge Sunday while attempting to land at a newly opened airport, killing at least 68 of the 72 people aboard. (Jan. 15)

A woman cries as the body of a relative, victim of a plane crash, is brought to a hospital in Pokhara, Nepal, Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023. A plane making a 27-minute flight to a Nepal tourist town crashed into a gorge Sunday while attempting to land at a newly opened airport, killing at least 68 of the 72 people aboard. At least one witness reported hearing cries for help from within the fiery wreck, the country’s deadliest airplane accident in three decades. (AP Photo/Yunish Gurung)

• Copy Link copied

Nepalese rescue workers and civilians gather around the wreckage of a passenger plane that crashed in Pokhara, Nepal, Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023. Authorities in Nepal said 68 people have been confirmed dead after a regional passenger plane with 72 aboard crashed into a gorge while landing at a newly opened airport in the resort town of Pokhara. It’s the country’s deadliest airplane accident in three decades. (AP Photo/Krishna Mani Baral)

People watch rescuers work at the site of plane crash in Pokhara, Nepal, Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023. A plane making a 27-minute flight to a Nepal tourist town crashed into a gorge Sunday while attempting to land at a newly opened airport, killing at least 68 of the 72 people aboard. At least one witness reported hearing cries for help from within the fiery wreck, the country’s deadliest airplane accident in three decades. (AP Photo/Yunish Gurung)

Rescue workers recover the body of a victim of a passenger plane that crashed in Pokhara, Nepal, Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023. A plane making a 27-minute flight to a Nepal tourist town crashed into a gorge Sunday while attempting to land at a newly opened airport, killing at least 68 of the 72 people aboard. At least one witness reported hearing cries for help from within the fiery wreck, the country’s deadliest airplane accident in three decades. (AP Photo/Yunish Gurung)

Locals watch the wreckage of a passenger plane in Pokhara, Nepal, Sunday, Jan.15, 2023. A passenger plane with 72 people on board has crashed near Pokhara International Airport in Nepal, the daily newspaper Kathmandu Post reports. The plane was carrying 68 passengers and four crew members. (AP Photo/Ashish Puri)

Relatives of a crashed passenger plane wail at Katmandhu airport, Nepal, Sunday, Jan.15, 2023. A passenger plane with 72 people on board has crashed near Pokhara International Airport in Nepal, the daily newspaper Kathmandu Post reports. The plane was carrying 68 passengers and four crew members. (AP Photo/Bikram Rai)

Locals watch the wreckage of a passenger plane in Pokhara, Nepal, Sunday, Jan.15, 2023. A passenger plane with 72 people on board has crashed near Pokhara International Airport in Nepal, the daily newspaper Kathmandu Post reports. The plane was carrying 68 passengers and four crew members. (AP Photo/Yunish Gurung)

Locals watch the wreckage of a passenger plane as rescuers are scouring the crash site, in Pokhara, Nepal, Sunday, Jan.15, 2023. A 72-seat Nepali passenger aircraft has crashed into a gorge while landing at a newly opened airport in the central resort town of Pokhara, killing at least 32 people. (AP Photo/Krishna Mani Baral)

People wait outside a hospital for news of relatives after a passenger plane crashed in Pokhara, Nepal, Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023. A plane making a 27-minute flight to a Nepal tourist town crashed into a gorge Sunday while attempting to land at a newly opened airport, killing at least 68 of the 72 people aboard. At least one witness reported hearing cries for help from within the fiery wreck, the country’s deadliest airplane accident in three decades. (AP Photo/Yunish Gurung)

POKHARA, Nepal (AP) — A plane making a 27-minute flight to a Nepal tourist town crashed into a gorge Sunday while attempting to land at a newly opened airport, killing at least 68 of the 72 people aboard. At least one witness reported hearing cries for help from within the fiery wreck, the country’s deadliest airplane accident in three decades.

Hours after dark, scores of onlookers crowded around the crash site near the airport in the resort town of Pokhara as rescue workers combed the wreckage on the edge of the cliff and in the ravine below. Officials suspended the search for the four missing people overnight and planned to resume looking Monday.

Local resident Bishnu Tiwari, who rushed to the crash site near the Seti River to help search for bodies, said the rescue efforts were hampered by thick smoke and a raging fire.

“The flames were so hot that we couldn’t go near the wreckage. I heard a man crying for help, but because of the flames and smoke we couldn’t help him,” Tiwari said.

It was not immediately clear what caused the accident, Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority said.

A witness said he saw the aircraft spinning violently in the air after it began descending to land, watching from the terrace of his house. Finally, Gaurav Gurung said, the plane fell nose-first towards its left and crashed into the gorge.

The aviation authority said the aircraft last made contact with the airport from near Seti Gorge at 10:50 a.m. before crashing.

The twin-engine ATR 72 aircraft, operated by Nepal’s Yeti Airlines, was flying from the capital, Kathmandu, to Pokhara, located 200 kilometers (125 miles) west. It was carrying 68 passengers including 15 foreign nationals, as well as four crew members, Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority said in a statement. The foreigners included five Indians, four Russians, two South Koreans, and one each from Ireland, Australia, Argentina and France.

Images and videos shared on Twitter showed plumes of smoke billowing from the crash site, about 1.6 kilometers (nearly a mile) away from Pokhara International Airport. The aircraft’s fuselage was split into multiple parts that were scattered down the gorge.

Firefighters carried bodies, some burned beyond recognition, to hospitals where grief-stricken relatives had assembled. At Kathmandu airport, family members appeared distraught as they were escorted in and at times exchanged heated words with officials as they waited for information.

Tek Bahadur K. C., a senior administrative officer in the Kaski district, said he expected rescue workers to find more bodies at the bottom of the gorge.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who rushed to Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu after the crash, set up a panel to investigate the accident.

”The incident was tragic. The full force of the Nepali army, police has been deployed for rescue,” he said.

South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it’s still trying to confirm the fate of two South Korean passengers and has sent staff to the scene. The Russian Ambassador to Nepal, Alexei Novikov, confirmed the death of four Russian citizens who were on board the plane.

Omar Gutiérrez, governor of Argentina’s Neuquen province, reported on his official Twitter account that an Argentine passanger on the flight was Jannet Palavecino from his province.

The Facebook page of Palavecino says she was manager of the Hotel Suizo in Neuquen city.

On the page, she described herself as a lover of travel, and of adventure tourism. “I am passionate about the mountains! Riding my bike in cycling. I love my garden and the countryside. I like to paint!” she wrote.

Her account has many photos of her in the mountains.

Pokhara is the gateway to the Annapurna Circuit, a popular hiking trail in the Himalayas. The city’s new international airport began operations only two weeks ago.

The type of plane involved, the ATR 72, has been used by airlines around the world for short regional flights. Introduced in the late 1980s by a French and Italian partnership, the aircraft model has been involved in several deadly accidents over the years.

In Taiwan two earlier accidents involving ATR 72-500 and ATR 72-600 aircrafts happened just months apart.

In July 2014, a TransAsia ATR 72-500 flight crashed while trying to land on the scenic Penghu archipelago between Taiwan and China, killing 48 people onboard. An ATR 72-600 operated by the same Taiwanese airline crashed shortly after takeoff in Taipei in February 2015 after one of its engines failed and the second was shut down, apparently by mistake.

The 2015 crash, captured in dramatic footage that showed the plane striking a taxi as it hurtled out of control, killed 43, and prompted authorities to ground all Taiwanese-registered ATR 72s for some time. TransAsia ceased all flights in 2016 and later went out of business.

ATR identified the plane involved in Sunday’s crash as an ATR 72-500 in a tweet. According to plane tracking data from flightradar24.com, the aircraft was 15 years old and “equipped with an old transponder with unreliable data.” It was previously flown by India’s Kingfisher Airlines and Thailand’s Nok Air before Yeti took it over in 2019, according to records on Airfleets.net.

Yeti Airlines has a fleet of six ATR72-500 planes, company spokesperson Sudarshan Bartaula said.

Nepal, home to eight of the world’s 14 highest mountains, including Mount Everest, has a history of air crashes. According to the Flight Safety Foundation’s Aviation Safety database, there have been 42 fatal plane crashes in Nepal since 1946.

Sunday’s crash is Nepal’s deadliest since 1992, when all 167 people aboard a Pakistan International Airlines plane were killed when it plowed into a hill as it tried to land in Kathmandu.

The European Union has banned airlines from Nepal from flying into the 27-nation bloc since 2013, citing weak safety standards. In 2017, the International Civil Aviation Organization cited improvements in Nepal’s aviation sector, but the EU continues to demand administrative reforms.

This story corrects the surname of Omar Gutiérrez, governor of Argentina’s Neuquen province.

Saaliq reported from New Delhi. Elise Morton in London, Kim Tong-hyung in Seoul, South Korea, and Adam Schreck in Bangkok contributed reporting.

Find more of AP’s Asia-Pacific coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/asia-pacific