Ajit Pawar, 5 others die in plane crash; AAIB takes over probe

Baramati: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar and five others died in a plane crash near Baramati on Wednesday. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has confirmed that all six passengers on board are dead.

The plane crashed while landing near Baramati. Visuals from the spot show fire and smoke, mangled remains of the plane, and ambulances rushing the injured to nearby hospitals. There were people at the wreckage site trying to extend help in every possible way.

This incident occurred around 9 a.m., an hour after the plane took off from Mumbai.

Apart from Deputy CM Pawar, the people onboard the plane, Learjet 45 aircraft (registration VT-SSK) operated by VSR, included a personal security officer (PSO), an attendant, and two crew members -- a Pilot-in-Command (PIC) and a Second-in-Command (SIC).

The deceased have been identified as Vidip Jadhav (male), Pinky Mali (female). Additionally, the crew members were PIC Sumit Kapur and SIC Shambhavi Pathak, according to the passenger list.

Amid ongoing elections to the Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis, Dy CM Ajit Pawar was travelling from Mumbai to Baramati to attend a public meeting.

Emergency services and senior security officials have reached the site in Baramati. Rescue teams were deployed immediately after the aircraft lost control during the landing phase. A team of DGCA officials also arrived at the plane crash site.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said that a transparent and accountable investigation would be conducted into the plane crash. Speaking to the media here, the Union Minister said that preliminary information suggests poor visibility at the time of landing.

This incident comes after several aviation-related scares for the leader. In October 2024, a helicopter intended to pick up his party colleague Sunil Tatkare crashed in Pune, and there have been previous instances of emergency landings in the region due to bad weather.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has taken over the probe into the Baramati plane crash, and a team has departed from Delhi for Pune to investigate the deadly accident.

Emergency services and senior security officials have reached the site in Baramati. Rescue teams were deployed immediately after the aircraft lost control during the landing phase.

Additionally, according to sources, Ajit Pawar's body was identified by the watch he was wearing at the time of his death.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Police on Wednesday said that the Baramati plane crash, in which Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar lost his life, is being carefully investigated to determine the cause of the accident.

"The wreckage's location and condition at the crash site will be thoroughly examined and photographed to determine the speed and angle of the aircraft's impact," police officials said.

They further mentioned that a black box will be examined to determine the technical condition of the aircraft during the flight and whether it was airworthy.

"The cockpit voice recording will provide information about the pilots' conversations and decisions in the final moments," officials said, adding that all records related to the maintenance performed on the aircraft will also be reviewed. (IANS)

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