WALTHAM, MA–Indian-origin entrepreneur Anand Patel was one of the six passengers who died after a private plane to Las Vegas crashed late Monday, according to news reports.
“A trip to Las Vegas did not turn out the way Anand Patel and his friends planned it to be. The entrepreneur, who boarded a private jet with popular Instagram model Mariah Coogan, was identified as one of the six people who died after the plane crashed into TPC Scottsdale Champions Golf Course late Monday,” reported International Business Times.
The 26-year-old’s twin brother Akash Patel confirmed his death and told The Republic that Anand was “an entrepreneur with lots of energy and lots of charisma.” The two came to the US from India to attend college in 2009. Anand was called “Happy” by his friends.
AZ Central reported that Anand lived in Oklahoma and co-founded a clothing line. He also worked as an event promoter. “My brother was taken away from us doing what he loved to do the most, which was spending time with his friends and flying,” Akash said. He added that Anand lived a “celebrity life” as an “Instagram star.”
The plane was owned and piloted by James Pedroza, 28, who was taking his friends to Las Vegas. CBS News reports that during his final check-in with air traffic control, Pedroza did not indicate he was having trouble aboard the aircraft.
Anand was with his friend Mariah Sunshine Coogan, another popular Instagram model who died in the crash. Coogan was an Instagram model who had over 28,000 followers. She was a horse trainer before she opted to take up modeling, according to news reports
