First visuals from Ajit Pawar’s plane crash site in Maharashtra’s Baramati surfaced shortly after the disaster, showing extensive damage and wreckage scattered near the runway, with the chartered aircraft split into pieces after crash-landing on Wednesday morning.
The visuals from Baramati airport show the remains of the Learjet 45 lying off the runway, charred debris spread across the crash site and emergency personnel cordoning off the area following the incident. The aircraft, which was flying from Mumbai to Baramati, crash-landed at around 8:45 am while attempting to land at the airport, news agency ANI reported, citing preliminary information.
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As per initial reports, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party chief Ajit Pawar was onboard the chartered aircraft. Pawar was travelling to Baramati to attend a public rally for the Zilla Parishad elections, according to ANI.
The aircraft reportedly veered off the runway during the landing attempt and burst into flames on impact. Visuals indicated severe structural damage, suggesting a high-impact crash, with parts of the aircraft completely destroyed by fire.
{{/usCountry}}The aircraft reportedly veered off the runway during the landing attempt and burst into flames on impact. Visuals indicated severe structural damage, suggesting a high-impact crash, with parts of the aircraft completely destroyed by fire.
{{/usCountry}}Ajit Pawar, his security staff and the flight crew were travelling in the aircraft. Initial information suggested that there were five to six people on board, including Pawar, security personnel and pilots. Officials said rescue teams rushed to the spot soon after the crash, but there were no survivors.
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The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has constituted an inquiry into the incident, ANI reported. Aviation officials said a detailed investigation will look into the circumstances that led to the crash during landing.
Pune Superintendent of Police Sandeep Gill told ANI that bodies recovered from the crash site were shifted to a nearby hospital. A close aide of Ajit Pawar, speaking from Baramati, said all those on board were brought dead, as per the report.
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Ajit Pawar was in Mumbai on Tuesday, where he attended a meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Maharashtra Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and senior officials were also present at the meeting.
Further details are awaited as authorities continue to assess the crash site and piece together the sequence of events leading to the accident.
(With inputs from ANI)