2 Americans Among 72 Who Died in Airplane Crash in Nepal, Authorities Say

Photo: PRAKASH MATHEMA/AFP via Getty

Two Americans were among the dozens of people killed in an airplane crash in Nepal on Sunday, authorities confirm.

He continued, “Our thoughts are with the families of those on board. The United States stands ready to support Nepal in any way we can at this difficult hour.”

Their identities have not been released.

Rescue efforts were then made when two helicopters were deployed to the site, with a ground team including the Nepal Army, Armed Police Forces, Nepal Police and more on-site for the search.

Among those involved in the crash were 15 foreign nationals: five Indians, four Russians, two South Koreans, one person from Ireland, one from Australia, one from Argentina and one from France, the aviation authority shared.Of those on board, 37 were men, 25 were women, three were children and three were infants,CNNadded.

Stories about the passengers have since been released since the ill-fated flight.

One personcaptured footage of the plane’s final momentsin the air before he and his friends were involved in the deadly crash.

Friends of Sonu Jaiswal, of India, said the 29-year-old father of threewas live-streamingthe plane’s descent into Nepal on Sunday when theaircraft suddenly crashed, according toThe Guardianand the BBC.

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The plane’s co-pilot Anju Khatiwada learned how to fly afterher pilot husband died in a crashin 2006.

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“Her husband, Dipak Pokhrel, died in 2006 in a crash of a Twin Otter plane of Yeti Airlines in Jumla,” airline spokesman Sudarshan Bartaula told Reuters. “Shegot her pilot trainingwith the money she got from the insurance after her husband’s death.”

Speaking with CNN, Bartaula said that Khatiwada, who joined Yeti Airlines in 2010,received training in the United Statesand had over 6,300 hours of flying experience. The spokesperson went on to call her “a brave woman with all the courage and determination.”

Khatiwada, a captain, was flying with an instructor pilot for additional training when the crash occurred, Bartaula told CNN.

source: people.com