Death unites Nepali pilots, again

'Every mornin(g) I wake up expecting (yo)ur cal(l)........... Now that (you are) gone, I miss you.' This was the message posted by Tara Air co-pilot Sachindra Shrestha on his Facebook wall remembering Sofiya Singh. Utpal Parashar reports.

Updated on: Dec 17, 2010, 24:04:53 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

'Every mornin(g) I wake up expecting (yo)ur cal(l). There wasn't any day as I passed through a temple I prayed for your wellbeing. Now that (you are) gone, I miss you.'

This was the message posted by Tara Air co-pilot Sachindra Shrestha on his Facebook wall on Tuesday morning remembering Sofiya Singh, co-pilot of the ill-fated Agni Air aircraft that crashed in August.

Thirty two hours after scribbling the message from his iPhone, Sachindra 'reunited' with Sofiya as the small Twin Otter passenger aircraft he was flying crashed and took his life.

The accident that took place at Okhaldhunga in eastern Nepal on Wednesday afternoon claimed 21 other lives including that of 19 passengers. It's the second air disaster in Nepal after the Agni Air mishap.

The two young pilots were in a relationship and had plans to get married soon. But fate had other things in store. Exactly 113 days after Sofiya's death the Agni Air crash, Sachindra joined her in heaven.

Two days after the Agni Air crash on August 24, Sachindra had posted a photo of Sofiya on Facebook and written "I will always luv u".

A week ago, he had posted the following lines from the Aerosmith song 'Dream On' on his wall.

'Yeah, sing with me, sing for the year

Sing for the laughter, sing for the tear

Sing with me, if it's just for today

Maybe tomorrow the good Lord will take you away'

According to a report in Kantipur, the couple had met in US four years ago while training to be pilots at the Texas-based Delta Qualiflight Aviation Academy.

Sofiya, a resident of Lalitpur and Sachindra who belonged to Kathmandu returned to Nepal three years ago to start their careers with two different domestic airlines.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

Get the latest headlines from US news and global updates from Pakistan, Nepal, UK, Bangladesh, Russia and US Iran war Live, get all the latest headlines in one place on Hindustan Times.