Prija was our part-time employee, Saurya Airlines claims

KATHMANDU: Saurya Airlines has claimed that Prija Khatiwada, who was working for the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation as a computer operator, was also working for them on a part-time basis.

Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, Badri Prasad Pandey, said in the meeting of the House of Representatives on Sunday that the airline management has informed the ministry that Prija was their part-time employee.

Khatiwada, along with her husband Manu Raj Sharma (an airline technician of Saurya) and their four-year-old son Adhiraj Sharma, lost their lives in the Saurya Airlines crash on Wednesday. The airline claimed Prija was their part-time employee after it faced criticism for allowing passengers on a ferry flight that is supposed to carry only technical staff.

Minister Pandey also said the airline management has expressed commitment to offering jobs to family members based on their qualifications. He also said the investigation commission has begun examining the crash site and the cockpit voice recorder. “We have instructed Saurya Airlines to initiate the process of providing insurance and other compensation to the victims’ families,” he added.

Passengers on domestic flights are covered for a minimum of $20,000.

The Saurya Airlines flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara crashed seconds after takeoff on Wednesday, resulting in 18 fatalities, including one Yemeni national. The pilot in command, Manish Ratna Shakya, is currently receiving medical treatment.

The government has formed a five-member commission under Ratish Chandra Lal Suman to investigate the accident.

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