Baramati, Jan 29
As Maharashtra mourns, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has intensified its probe into the plane crash in which Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died.
Preliminary reports suggest poor visibility and the lack of advanced navigational aids at the Baramati airstrip as potential factors. The crash also claimed the lives of four others, including two pilots, a personal security officer, and a flight attendant, said sources.
Ajit Pawar is survived by his wife and two sons, leaving behind a political legacy that defined the cooperative and developmental landscape of Maharashtra for decades.
In a catastrophic aviation accident that has sent shockwaves across Maharashtra, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar passed away on Wednesday after his aircraft crashed near Baramati Airport.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has officially constituted a three-member committee to investigate the tragedy.
According to an official statement from the Ministry, a three-member team from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), along with the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), arrived at the crash site on Wednesday. The Director General of the AAIB also personally visited the location to inspect the wreckage of the Learjet 45 aircraft.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation confirmed that the aircraft's Black Box-comprising the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and the Flight Data Recorder (FDR)-has been recovered. "A comprehensive, transparent, and time-bound investigation is our highest priority," the Ministry stated. Analysts will now examine the data to reconstruct the final moments of the flight and determine the exact cause of the crash.
The investigation is being conducted under Rules 5 and 11 of the AAIB Rules 2025, following established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
Officials indicated that the probe is currently focused on visibility conditions at the time of the incident, pilot decision-making during the flight, Operational limitations at the Baramati airstrip and uncontrolled runway factors, as the aircraft reportedly crashed during its second landing attempt.
The AAIB expert team, which arrived on Wednesday evening, has initiated forensic procedures. They have taken custody of the wreckage and are collecting vital evidence. The investigators have sought a few records from the airline, including Airframe and engine logbooks, maintenance and inspection history, all relevant aircraft documentation and crew qualifications and certifications.
Earlier in the day, in an atmosphere thick with grief and echoing with chants of "Ajit Dada Amar Rahe," Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President Ajit Pawar was cremated with full state honours at the Vidya Pratishthan ground.
The 66-year-old leader, a pillar of Maharashtra politics for nearly four decades, tragically lost his life on Wednesday morning when his chartered aircraft crashed while attempting to land at Baramati airport.
The day began with a sombre procession as the mortal remains of the leader were moved from his residence in Katewadi. Thousands of supporters, many of whom had travelled from across the state, lined the streets of Baramati to catch a final glimpse of their "Dada."
The flower-decked military vehicle, carrying his remains draped in the National Tricolour, moved through a sea of weeping supporters before reaching the Vidya Pratishthan ground. At 11:00 a.m., a police contingent presented a guard of honour and a gun salute, marking the state's official farewell to its longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister.
Top political leaders from across the country arrived in Baramati to pay their respects, showcasing the veteran leader's cross-party influence.
- IANS
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