Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was killed after a chartered aircraft carrying him crash-landed while attempting to land at Baramati in Pune district on Wednesday morning.
The aircraft, which was flying from Mumbai to Baramati, met with the accident at around 8.45 am, PTI reported citing officials. Five people on board, including Ajit Pawar, died in the incident, said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
The Learjet 45 had five people on board—three passengers, including Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, and two crew members—when the crash occurred, a senior DGCA official told PTI.
The aircraft encountered technical difficulties or an unexpected issue near the runway, leading to the crash. Eyewitnesses reported fire at the site, with videos emerging on social media.
Emergency services rushed to the site soon after the crash-landing, and rescue operations were undertaken by local authorities, police and medical teams. Officials said there were no survivors among those on board.
Ajit Pawar was a senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and one of Maharashtra’s most influential political figures, representing the Baramati constituency for multiple terms.
Media reports citing the DGCA said a detailed investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the crash, and further details are awaited.
