Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and several others died in a plane crash on Wednesday, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said.
Pawar was on board at the time of the crash, along with two more personnel (1 PSO and 1 attendant) and two crew (PIC+FO) members, as per the DGCA.
The aviation watchdog said that there were no survivors, adding that the aircraft was a Learjet 45 operated by VSR. The aircraft registration was VT-SSK.
The plane, which was on its way from Mumbai to Baramati, crash-landed at its destination at around 8.45 am.
Footage from the scene showed the plane’s mangled wreckage, with ambulances rushing the injured to nearby hospitals.
Kiran Gujar, a close aide of Ajit Pawar confirmed to Hindustan Times that the Maharashtra Dy CM had perished in the crash. Gujar is present at the local hospital to which the bodies of the crash victims were brought.
“The aircraft VT SSK was attempting a landing, and the aircraft went off the side of the runway and crashed,” Baramati airport manager Shivaji Taware was quoted as saying. HT.
Details on what caused the emergency landing attempt and the subsequent crash are still awaited.
Pawar was on his way to Baramati to address four public meetings ahead of the Zilla Parishad elections when the crash took place.
(This is a developing story. Check back for updates)
