Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was on board a charter flight from Mumbai to Baramati when it crash-landed on Wednesday at 8:45 am during landing at Baramati airport. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed his death. The plane was attempting a second approach to Baramati Airport when it crashed, according to flight tracking website Flightradar24.
The first pictures and videos of the crash show the plane engulfed in flames. Details regarding the cause of the crash and the reason for the emergency landing attempt are still awaited.
The 66-year-old was scheduled to attend four key public meetings today. The accident occurred in the morning when the NCP leader was flying to his hometown to address public meetings ahead of the Zilla Parishad polls.
The aircraft that was reduced to ashes was a Learjet 45, as per Hindustan Times. “The aircraft VT SSK was attempting a landing, and the aircraft went off the side of the runway and crashed,” HT quoted Baramati airport manager Shivaji Taware.
Ajit Pawar’s wife, Sunetra Pawar, and his sister, Supriya Sule, are heading to Baramati for the last rites. Mourning the major loss, Ajit Pawar’s brother, Shriniwas Pawar, said, “It is a very sad moment for us. No one survived the crash. My son Yugendra is at the hospital in Baramati. We are all headed to Baramati. The last rites will be in Baramati.”
“All six people, including Ajit Pawar, were brought dead,” Kiran Gujar, a close aide of Ajit Pawar, who is currently at the local hospital, said.
Soon after the fatal crash, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to get details on the situation. The Baramati airport, where Ajit Pawar’s plane crash-landed, was previously operated by a private operator and was recently handed over to the Maharashtra airport development company, reported HT.
Who was on board along with Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister?
Ajit Pawar was on board the Learjet 45 with two of his security staff and two crew members. The DGCA confirmed that all six have died.
