Australian feared dead in Nepal plane crash identified, co-pilot remembered as 'brave and fearless' - SBS News

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An Australian feared dead in Nepal's worst plane crash in 30 years has been named by Nepalese authorities as Myron Love.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal has released the Yeti Airlines flight's passenger manifest on which Mr Love's name is listed, but Australian authorities are yet to confirm if he is one of the deceased, saying they are desperately seeking news on his welfare.

Australian media report Mr Love was a Sydney teacher who was passionate about travelling. He had reportedly been holidaying through Asia when he boarded the doomed flight.

It comes as tributes have been paid to the Nepali co-pilot of the Yeti Airlines plane, Anju Khatiwada, who was remembered as "brave, fearless and fun-loving".

Experienced co-pilot Ms Khatiwada was one of at least 68 people who died when the ATR 72 plane plummeted into a steep gorge, smashed into pieces and burst into flames while trying to land in Pokhara in clear weather on Sunday.

Co-pilot Anju Khatiwada, who died in the Yeti Airlines crash on Sunday, was passionate about flying, her friend says. Source: Supplied

The plane, on a scheduled flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara, gateway to the scenic Annapurna mountain range, was carrying 57 Nepalis, five Indians, four Russians, two South Koreans, and one person each from Argentina, Ireland, Australia and France.

SBS Nepali journalist Sameer Ghimire said he was "devastated" by the crash and the loss of his childhood friend. The pair grew up in the same neighbourhood of Biratnagar, a city close to Nepal's southeastern border with India, and both attended St Joseph's secondary school.

"One of the pilots of the flight — Anju — was not only my classmate all through my school years, but she was also a neighbour who lived few blocks away from the house I grew up," Mr Ghimire told SBS News.

"She will be remembered as a brave and fearless girl, who stood up to raw challenges that life threw at her. She was full of self-belief and was a very fun-loving person."

"There were only a few girls flying planes back home so she was also a source of inspiration."

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the disaster as "incredibly sad news" in a tweet on Monday.

"The government is aware an Australian was on board and is urgently seeking information from Nepalese officials on the welfare of that passenger," he added.

On Monday afternoon, Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade was providing consular support to the Australian's family but he couldn't provide any more details.

"Our hearts go out to all of the families of the crew and passengers of the Yeti Airlines flight which crashed in Nepal. Our thoughts are with the people of Nepal as well," he added.

The tragedy was the Himalayan nation’s deadliest plane crash in 30 years, officials said.

The cause of the crash remains unknown, with rescuers also searching for the black boxes — a cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder— as they looked for survivors, said Jagannath Niroula, a spokesperson for Nepal's civil aviation authority.

Nepal has declared a day of national mourning on Monday and set up a panel to investigate the disaster and suggest measures to avoid such incidents in future.

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. Source: AAP / Yunish Gurung/AP

Authorities said bodies will be handed over to families after identification and examination.

Nearly 350 people have died since 2000 in plane or helicopter crashes in Nepal — home to eight of the world's 14 highest mountains, including Everest — where sudden weather changes can make for hazardous conditions.

In 1992 a Pakistan International Airlines Airbus A300 crashed into a hillside upon approach to Kathmandu, killing all 167 people on board.

The European Union has banned Nepali airlines from its airspace since 2013, citing safety concerns.

Flight tracking website FlightRadar24 said on Twitter the Yeti Airlines aircraft was 15 years old and equipped with an old transponder with unreliable data.

"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, another local resident, 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 it nosedived and it went into the gorge."

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Australian feared dead in Nepal plane crash identified, co-pilot remembered as 'brave and fearless' - SBS News
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