Video shot by Yeti Airlines passenger shows final moments of plane that crashed in Nepal's Pokhara

The video shows the aircraft suddenly losing altitude, tilting and crashing moments before it landed at the Pokhara airport. Five Indians, four of whom hailed from Ghazipur district in Uttar Pradesh, were among those killed.

Vipin Vijayan

First Published Jan 16, 2023, 8:45 AM IST | Last Updated Jan 16, 2023, 8:45 AM IST

One of the 72 people onboard the ill-fated Yeti Airlines passenger plane was live streaming moments before it plummeted into a gorge moments before it landed at the newly-opened airport in central Nepal's resort city of Pokhara on Sunday. The video shows the aircraft suddenly losing altitude, tilting and crashing moments before it landed at the Pokhara airport. Five Indians, four of whom hailed from Ghazipur district in Uttar Pradesh, were among those killed.

There have been no survivors yet. The four deceased from Ghazipur district were identified as Abhishek Kushwaha (25), Vishal Sharma (22), Sonu Jaiswal and Anil Rajbhar (27).

A police spokesman informed that Jaiswal had residences in Chak Jainab and Alawalpur Chatti but was currently living in Sarnath. Sharma and Rajbhar hailed from the Badesar area of the district, while Kushwaha of Dharwa resided in the Nonhara area of Ghazipur.

Jaiswal (35), according to reports, had gone to pay obeisance at the famed Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu after his wish for a son was fulfilled around six months ago. Jaiswal was a liquor store owner. His relative, Vijay Jaiswal said: "Sonu had gone to Nepal on January 10 along with his three friends -- Abhishek Kushwaha, Vishal Sharma and Anil Kumar Rajbhar. The main purpose of his visit was to pay obeisance to Lord Pashupatinath. His wish to have a son, now six months old, had been fulfilled. But fate had something else in store for him."

The fifth Indian in the aircraft was identified as Sanjay Jaiswal.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), Yeti Airlines' 9N-ANC ATR-72 aircraft crashed on the banks of the Seti River between the old airport and the new airport minutes before landing. The aircraft had taken off from Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport at 10:33 am. A total of 68 passengers and four crew members were on board the aircraft. The flight time between Kathmandu and Pokhara is 25 minutes.

Also Read: Nepal's Yeti Airlines aircraft with 72 onboard crashes; 5 Indians among passengers

For more reliable and latest news