Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died when his chartered plane caught fire and crashed near Baramati, the DGCA said, with four others also killed. Two staff members and two crew were among the victims, and the regulator said "No person on board has survived." The aircraft had departed Mumbai and reportedly attempted an emergency landing about 250 km away. Authorities have responded to the scene and an investigation into the crash has been announced.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar Killed In Fiery Charter Plane Crash Near Baramati
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) politician Ajit Pawar is seen before the swearing-in ceremony of Shiv Sena party leader Uddhav Thackeray as chief minister of Maharashtra in Mumbai, India, November 28, 2019. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas
Ajit Pawar, the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, was killed on Wednesday when his chartered aircraft caught fire and crashed, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said. Four other people on board also died.
The plane was en route from Mumbai to Baramati, Pawar's political stronghold, where he was due to campaign in local body elections. Media reports said the aircraft attempted an emergency landing near Baramati, about 250 km (155 miles) from Mumbai.
Passengers: The DGCA confirmed that two members of Pawar's staff and two crew members were among those on board. In an initial statement the regulator said,
"No person on board has survived."
Video footage and eyewitness reports showed thick smoke and burning wreckage scattered across an open field at the crash site. Local emergency services responded to the scene and authorities said they would investigate the circumstances that led to the accident.
Political Context
Pawar, a scion of a prominent Maharashtra political family, led a faction that broke away from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in 2023 and subsequently supported Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state government. He had been travelling to canvass for local elections.
More details and official findings are expected as aviation authorities continue their inquiry.
Help us improve.
