Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's private plane, a Learjet 45, crashed. All five people on board were killed. Captain Sumit Kapoor and First Officer Shambhavi Pathak were in command of the aircraft. During landing, a technical fault caused the aircraft to crash into a field and burn to ashes.

Wednesday marked a significant and dark chapter in Maharashtra politics. The chartered plane of the state's Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief, Ajit Pawar, crashed near Baramati airport. All five people on board, including Ajit Pawar, died in this tragic accident. The plane was commanded by experienced pilot Captain Sumit and First Officer Shambhavi Pathak, while Pinky Mali was a flight attendant.

This was a VSR Ventures Learjet 45 aircraft with registration number VT-SSK. The aircraft had a gross weight of 9752 kilograms. Shambhavi had been with the company since 2022. She studied aviation at the University of Mumbai. She then trained at the New Zealand International Commercial Pilots Academy from 2018 to 2019.

VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd is a private aviation company based in Delhi. It was formed in 2011. In addition to leasing aircraft, it also engages in aviation consultancy. The owners are Captain Vijay Singh and Captain Rohit Singh. On September 14, 2023, one of their planes crashed at Mumbai Airport.

How did the accident happen?

The accident occurred between 8:45 and 9:15 am. Ajit Pawar was traveling from Mumbai to Baramati to address public meetings for the Zilla Parishad elections. While attempting to land on the Baramati runway, the plane experienced a technical malfunction. Instead of landing on the runway, it crashed into a nearby field. Upon impact, the plane broke into pieces and caught fire. The deceased passengers included Ajit Pawar and Vidip Jadhav.

DGCA confirmed the death

According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), a total of five people, including Ajit Pawar, his personal assistant (PA), a security guard, and both pilots, lost their lives in the accident. The plane was completely destroyed. The DGCA has ordered an investigation into the cause of the accident.

Meanwhile, Ajit Pawar was scheduled to address four large rallies in Baramati today, for which a large crowd of supporters had gathered since morning. However, news of his death, even before the rally, has sent shockwaves across the state. Administration and rescue teams are present at the scene.