British Man Among Dozens Killed In Nepal Plane Crash

Dozens of people were killed in Nepal’s worst aviation disaster in decades, including a British citizen. Ruan Calum Crighton was one among 72 passengers aboard a Yeti Airlines aircraft from Kathmandu to Pokhara in the Annapurna mountain range when it crashed without warning on Sunday, January 15, 2023. Crighton’s nationality was first listed as Irish, however, it has now been revealed that he was traveling on a British passport. His name was among those revealed by Nepal’s civil aviation authorities on Sunday.

An FCDO spokesperson said: “We are supporting the family of a British man who has died in Nepal and is in contact with the local authorities.”

At least 68 people died in the crash, according to reports. There appears to be little chance that the other four passengers on the aircraft survived. According to Nepal’s aviation authorities, there were fifteen foreign nationals on board.

It is unknown what caused the tragedy, Nepal’s worse air accident in 30 years. The flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder were recovered from the crash site. A group of Indian passengers began documenting the plane’s fall on Facebook live video moments before the tragedy. The plane looked to be peaceful, with no emergency statements or cautions from the captain or crew. The airplane suddenly appears to swerve off with a boom, and the noises of it plummeting to the ground are recorded on the phone camera before the screen fills with flames.

As it approached the runway, the plane was seen swerving on its side, with one wing close to the ground. It fell into the Seti River canyon, less than a mile from the airport. Aircraft fragments were discovered on both sides of the river.