Ajit Pawar, Pilots, And Aides - DGCA Confirms 5 Dead In Baramati Plane Crash: Who All Were Onboard?

Baramati: A chartered aircraft carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar crash-landed at Baramati airport on Wednesday morning, resulting in the death of all five persons on board, according to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

The aircraft, a Learjet 45 operated by a private aviation firm, was on a scheduled flight from Mumbai to Baramati when it met with the accident during the landing phase. Ajit Pawar was travelling to Baramati for official engagements.

The jet had taken off from Mumbai and was operating a scheduled flight to Baramati. As per the flight plan, the aircraft departed Mumbai at around 7:00 am and was expected to land at Baramati at approximately 7:40 am. The crash occurred during the landing phase at the Baramati airstrip.

According to initial information shared by aviation authorities, the aircraft was carrying five people, including Ajit Pawar, two accompanying personnel, Avish Jadhav, Personal Security Officer (PSO) and one flight Assistant Pinki Mali, and two crew members. The crew including Captain Sumit Kapoor the Pilot-in-Command (PIC) and the First Officer, Sambhavi Pathak. 

Pilot Capt. Sumit Kapur and co-pilot Capt. Shambhavi Pathak operated the VSR Ventures Learjet 45 (VT-SSK), weighing 9,752 kg. Capt. Pathak, with VSR since 2022, studied at the University of Mumbai and trained at the New Zealand International Commercial Pilot Academy (2018-2019). VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd, founded in 2011, specializes in aircraft leasing.

The DGCA confirmed that no person on board survived the crash. “As per initial information, all five persons onboard the aircraft have succumbed to the injuries sustained in the crash”, the aviation regulator said, adding that further details are being ascertained.

Emergency services, including fire and rescue teams, were rushed to the crash site immediately after the incident. Visuals from the airport area showed extensive damage to the aircraft following the crash-landing. The airport operations were temporarily disrupted as rescue and safety procedures were carried out.

The cause of the crash is not yet known. The DGCA said a detailed investigation has been initiated to determine the circumstances leading to the accident, including a technical assessment of the aircraft and a review of flight and weather conditions at the time of landing.

Ajit Pawar, a senior leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and a key figure in Maharashtra politics, was serving as the Deputy Chief Minister at the time of the incident. His death has sent shockwaves across the state’s political circles.

More details are awaited as authorities continue their investigation.

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