New Delhi, Jan 28: A catastrophic chartered plane crash near Baramati airport on Wednesday morning claimed the lives of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others, including the flight crew, turning a momentous day in state politics into an unforgettable day of mourning.
The victims aboard the ill-fated aircraft were identified as: Ajit Pawar, the state’s Deputy CM; Captain Sumit Kapoor, the chief pilot commanding the flight; First Officer Shambhavi Pathak, the co-pilot who had received specialized training in New Zealand; Pinky Mali, the flight attendant; and Videep Jadhav, a passenger and aide.
The tragedy unfolded between 8:45 and 9:15 AM when the aircraft, en route from Mumbai to Baramati for Pawar’s scheduled addresses at four major rallies ahead of the February 5 zilla parishad polls, encountered a critical technical malfunction during its approach to the runway.
Instead of landing safely, the plane veered off and plummeted into an adjacent open field, disintegrating on impact and erupting into a massive fireball that reduced the wreckage to ashes.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has officially confirmed the incident and launched a high-level probe to determine whether technical failure or human error was responsible.
Baramati, where thousands of supporters awaited their leader, is now shrouded in grief, with a wave of mourning sweeping across Maharashtra. Relief teams and authorities are working at the crash site to clear debris and manage the aftermath.
