One of five Indians who died in the plane crash in Nepal’s Pokhara Sunday was a 35-year-old liquor store owner from Uttar Pradesh’s Ghazipur district, who had gone to pray at the famous Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu.
Sonu Jaiswal – whom police believe shot a Facebook Live video moments before the crash – was going to offer thanks for the birth of his son.
“Sonu, along with his three friends, had gone to Nepal on January 10. His main purpose was to pay obeisance… as his wish to have a son – now six months old – has been fulfilled. But fate had something else in store for him,” Vijay Jaiswal, a relative and head of his village, told news agency PTI.
Sonu Jaiswal already had two daughters and he had taken a vow to visit the Pashupatinath Temple if he had a son, Vijay Jaiswal said.
The three friends were Abhishek Kushwaha, 25; Vishal Sharma, 22; and Anil Kumar Rajbhar, 27. Villagers told PTI Rajbhar operated a public service centre, Kushwaha worked with computers and Sharma at a motorbike showroom.
All four were to return Tuesday after paragliding in Pokhara.
The fifth Indian was 26-year-old Sanjay Jaiswal from Bihar’s Sitamarhi.
The Facebook Live video believed to have been shot by Sonu Jaiswal is a 97-second clip in which a man can be seen filming the plane’s attempt to land.
Nepal prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has set up a panel to investigate the accident – reported as the country’s worst aviation disaster in 30 years.
A report is expected in 45 days.
There were 72 people on board the twin-engine ATR operated by Yeti Airlines when it crashed while landing at Pokhara’s newly-opened airport, officials said.
Locals told news agencies they saw the aircraft spinning violently in the air moments before touchdown; this was seen in videos circulating online.
One man – who saw the crash from the roof of his home – said the plane fell nose-first and crashed into a gorge on the banks of Seti river.
Authorities have recovered 67 bodies so far and do not expect any survivors.
Apart from the five Indians, there were also four Russians and two South Korean nationals on board, as also an Australian, French and Argentine, Reuters said.
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi and UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath both expressed grief; the PM said he was ‘pained’ by the loss of lives.
Adityanath said state government officials had been directed to coordinate with the ministry of external affairs to bring back the remains of the UP men.
