Ajit Pawar dies in plane crash — Who was on board the Learjet 45 that made 2nd failed landing attempt

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar met a tragic accident on Wednesday morning after his plane failed to make a successful second landing attempt. The 8th Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra took his last flight from Mumbai. He was on board a private charter plane, Bombardier Learjet 45 (VT-SSK), with five others.

Operated by VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd, the aircraft bearing the number “VTSSKLJ45” departed from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport at 8:11 AM on 28 January. The plane took off after nearly an hour's delay for the 40-minute flight. The 8th Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra was flying with Vidip Jadhav, attendant Pinki Mali and Personal Security Officer (PSO) Sumit Kapoor. Captain Sahil Madan was the Pilot-in-Command (PIC) of the tragic flight with crew members Captain Yash and Shambhavi Pathak, the First Officer (FO), onboard.

According to Flightradar24, the aircraft flew over the Arabian Sea towards Baramati after takeoff. It made its first landing attempt at around 8:30 AM. The aircraft operator said that it made a second landing attempt after the first failed, probably due to poor visibility.

The aircraft was attempting a second approach to Baramati Airport when it crashed, the flight tracking website stated in a post on X.

The business jet that was carrying the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) senior leader was 16 years old. The aircraft “R120/109 Miles from Mumbai” was scheduled to reach Baramati, according to Air Traffic Control (ATC). The plane made an emergency landing and crash-landed at 8:45 AM near Baramati airstrip, the planned destination.

As per the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), none of the passengers survived the tragedy. Visuals from the accident site show charred remains of the aircraft, engulfed in flames following the mishap.

“As per initial information, all five persons onboard the aircraft have succumbed to the injuries sustained in the crash," the aviation regulator said.

The longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, non-consecutively, is survived by his wife, Sunetra Pawar, and two sons, Jay and Parth Pawar. Ajit Pawar's wife and his sister, Supriya Sule, are heading to Baramati for the last rites. Mourning the major loss, Ajit Pawar’s brother, Shriniwas Pawar, said, “It's a very sad moment for us. No one survived the crash. My son Yugendra is in the hospital at Baramati. We are all headed to Baramati. The last rites will be in Baramati.”

The 66-year-old politician was travelling to Baramati to attend four key public meetings today ahead of the Zilla Parishad Elections.