The chief of vascular surgery at Miami’s Veterans’ Administration Hospital and an associate professor at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine was among 18 people killed early Sunday in a plane crash near Mount Everest.
Jagajan Karmacharya, 45, known as “J.J.” had recently traveled to his native Nepal to introduce her to his ailing mother to his fiancée, Natalie Neilan, a VA hospital employee.
The couple and Karmacharya’s brother and his wife, were among the passengers returning to Kathmandu from a sightseeing flight of Mount Everest on the Buddha Air Beech aircraft when it crashed.
“This is not just sad for us; it’s a great family tragedy,” said Karmacharya’s boss, Alan Livingstone, chairman of the UM’s Miller School of Medicine on Sunday.
According to investigators, the crash occurred as the aircraft was attempting to land as it returned from the Mount Everest region. Initial reports indicate bad weather and poor visibility may led to the accident. The plane’s black box has been recovered.
Karmacharya’s brother, 36, initially survived the crash but died shortly afterward at the hospital of his injuries.
News of Karmacharya’s death, Livingstone said.
Also killed in the crash was another American tourist , identified as Andrew Wade, a Japanese tourist, 10 nationals and the plane’s captain, co-pilot and air hostess.
“J.J. was a wonderful surgeon, educator and individual,’’ said Livingstone. Karmacharya had been on the medical school staff for three years. “This is a great loss for us.’’
Locals residents, army and armed policemen teamed up to recover the bodies and bring them back to Kathmandu.
For Buddha Air this is the first major mishap in almost 14 years.
Karmacharya’s two other brothers, who live in the U.S., left Sunday for Nepal.
Besides his family in Nepal, Kamacharya, who lived on Hibiscus Island on Miami Beach, is also survived by a teenage son.
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