Anju Khatiwada, the co-pilot of the crashed Yeti Airlines' aircraft, joined Nepal's aviation sector after the death of her husband who was killed while flying a small passenger plane of the same domestic airline in 2006.
Nearly 16 years later, the 9N-ANC ATR-72 aircraft - co-piloted by Anju - crashed on the bank of the Seti River near Pokhara's new airport on Sunday, with 72 people on board. Sixty-nine people were confirmed dead in Sunday's crash while three others are still missing. Anju is believed to be among the victims.
Anju was married to co-pilot Deepak Pokharel, who used to fly helicopters of the Nepal Army. After a few years of their marriage, Deepak, who became a pilot of Yeti Airlines, died in a Twin-Otter crash in Jumla district in 2006.
She used the money she received as an insurance claim after her husband's death to undertake an aviation course, according to Sudarsan Bartaula, a spokesperson of Yeti Airlines.
Anju studied a pilot course in the US and joined the aviation industry.
Also watch: Nepal plane crash: Pokhara airport inaugurated on Jan 1, built with Chinese assistance