Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar dies in Pune plane crash
Maharashtra, Jan 28 : Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others on board an aircraft were reported dead after the aircraft crashed in the Pune district, officials said on Wednesday.
The aircraft reportedly crashed while attempting to land near Baramati in Pune district earlier in the morning.
According to Flight Radar, the flight took off from Mumbai at 8.10 am and it disappeared from radar around 8.45 am.
A source told PTI that the aircraft pilot had mentioned about poor visibility near the runway, before the aircraft attempted the landing.
The Learjet 45 (LJ45), a mid-size business jet aircraft produced by the Learjet Division of Bombardier Aerospace, went off the runway while attempting to land at Baramati airport and burst into flames, the source said.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation confirmed that Ajit Pawar died in the crash. It said that a Learjet 45 aircraft (registration VT-SSK) operated by VSR crash-landed at Baramati.
There were five passengers, Deputy CM of Maharashtra Ajit Pawar onboard along with two more personnel (one PSO and one attendant) and two crew members (pilot in-command and the first officer), DGCA said.
The 66-year-old was the nephew of veteran politician and NCP founder Sharad Pawar, and a cousin of Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule. Pawar and Sule, who were in Delhi for Parliament’s Budget Session,have already departed for Maharashtra.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow over the tragic death of the NCP leader.
In a condolence message, Prime Minister Modi said he was “deeply saddened by the tragic air crash in Baramati, Maharashtra,” adding that his thoughts were with the families who lost their loved ones in the incident. He prayed for strength and courage for the bereaved families in this moment of profound grief.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also expressed shock and grief over the sudden demise of Ajit Pawar and his co-passengers.
Calling the incident a “deep personal loss,” she extended her condolences to Pawar’s family, including his uncle Sharad Pawar, and to his friends, followers, and supporters. She also emphasized the need for a proper investigation into the incident.
Leaders across party lines have expressed condolences, mourning the loss of a senior political leader.
-PTI
