Baramati Plane Crash: 5 Dead, Including Ajit Pawar
Baramati Plane Crash: 5 Dead, Including Ajit Pawar
Five people died as a Learjet 45 crashed on approach to Baramati; DGCA launches an inquiry into the tragedy.
Baramati, Maharashtra — A Learjet 45 carrying five people, including Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, crashed on approach to Baramati airport around 8:48 am today, igniting a blaze that consumed the aircraft. The flight had departed from Mumbai in the early hours, with Pawar traveling to his hometown ahead of scheduled public meetings in the Baramati area. The five on board included Pawar, his security staff, a pilot, a co-pilot, and a flight attendant. Airport officials said the jet touched down near runway 11 and immediately veered to the side before the aircraft burst into flames. First responders rushed to the scene, and the bodies were taken to area hospitals. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation said an inquiry has been ordered into the crash. Baramati’s airport manager noted the Learjet VT-SSK was chartered from Mumbai for the trip. In the wake of the tragedy, questions are being raised about aviation safety and the chain of command that had allowed the flight to operate today. Officials from the state and central government have expressed condolences as investigators gather evidence and review flight data to determine the cause of the crash.
