Nepal Crash: 3 Victims Attended Funeral in Kerala, but Never Reached Their Home

Raju, Anil and Rabin died in the plane crash in Nepal.

(Image: Accessed by The Quint)

When a family in Pathanamthitta arranged a funeral for their dear one, little did they know that a day later they will mourn the lost of three of their friends.

Raju, Anil and Rabin had planned a trip to Kerala’s Pathanamthitta to offer condolences and pay respects to Father Mathew Philip. But they never returned home as they died in the plane crash in Nepal. 

A Yeti Airlines passenger plane carrying 72 people onboard crashed in Nepal's Pokhara on Sunday, 15 January and everyone on the plane is reportedly dead. This is believed to be the Himalayan nation's deadliest aviation accident in over 30 years.

Family Remembers the Ill-Fated Visitors

Raju Thakuri, Anil Shahi, and Rabin Hamal were among the group of five people who came to attend the funeral of Mathew Philip who was an evangelical Christian missionary in Nepal for over four decades.

Philip’s brother Thomas told The Quint, “They reached Kerala on the morning of 13 February, Friday. They returned that evening. They were members of the Nadipur church and were close to Philip. They had flown down to pay their respects. It is unfortunate that this happened. The three men have families back home and they are completely shattered.”

The deceased with family of the priest.

(Image: Accessed by The Quint)

Five of them had left Kochi on Friday, 13 January, evening to Mumbai and then to Kathmandu. Deepak Tamang and Sharan Shai did not board the ill-fated flight from Kathmandu and so survived. 

Philip, 76, died on 11 January after battling cancer for two years. He had worked with churches in Nepal for over 45 years. He had returned from Nepal two years ago and was undergoing treatment.

Thomas said that the family is in shock and “they are mourning family and friends now.” 

Five Indians, four Russians, two Koreans, an Australian, a French, an Argentinian, and an Israeli were onboard the flight.