Mumbai: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar died after the Learjet 45 aircraft he was travelling in crash-landed at Baramati airport on Wednesday morning, officials confirmed. All five people on board the aircraft, including Pawar, were killed in the incident.
Details On The Ill-fated Aircraft
The chartered aircraft, registered as VT-SSK and operated by VSR, had departed from Mumbai at around 8.10 am for Baramati. According to news reports citing air traffic control (ATC) data, the jet attempted an emergency landing near the threshold of Runway 11 at approximately 8.48 am but lost control during the manoeuvre. The aircraft reportedly collided with a rock and immediately caught fire, according to a News18 report.
Visuals from the crash site showed the aircraft completely damaged and engulfed in flames, with smoke rising as emergency responders rushed to the spot. Apart from Ajit Pawar, those killed in the crash were identified as Vidip Jadhav, Pinky Mali, Sumit Kapoor and Sambhavi Pathak. Officials confirmed that there were no survivors.
Likely Reasons Behind Deadly Crash That Killed Pawar
Preliminary information suggests that technical issues combined with poor visibility due to dense fog in the Pune–Baramati region may have contributed to the crash. Data from FlightRadar24 indicated that the aircraft was attempting a second approach to land at Baramati airport when the accident occurred. Aviation authorities have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the crash.
Pawar Family Rushes For Baramati
Following the incident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to take stock of the situation. Senior NCP leaders, including Sharad Pawar and Supriya Sule, along with Pawar’s family members, have rushed to Baramati.
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