Aviation minister K Ram Mohan Naidu has said the visibility was poor when the plane carrying Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar crashed while attempting to land in Baramati on Wednesday morning.
Naidu said preliminary findings indicate visibility was poor at the Baramati airport, and the pilot of the chartered Learjet 46 aircraft initially informed air traffic control (ATC) that the runway was not in sight, leading to a go-around. During the second attempt, however, the pilot responded in the affirmative before the plane tragically crashed shortly after receiving landing clearance.
All of this will be analysed by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), which will scan flight recorders, aircraft systems, crew records, and ATC data to determine the exact cause of the mishap.
In the wake of the tragedy, however, opposition leaders demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the accident. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee first called for the investigation, alleging that existing agencies have been “completely compromised”.
Her demand was backed by several opposition leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, who stressed on the need for an impartial investigation to uncover the truth behind the crash.
Here is all you need to know:
- The ill-fated flight, operated by VSR Ventures, departed Mumbai at 8.10 am and disappeared from the radar at 8.45 am before crash-landing at approximately 8.50 am near the Baramati airport.
- The crash claimed five lives in total, including Ajit Pawar, his personal security officer, a flight attendant, and two pilots.
- Witness accounts described the aircraft as appearing “unstable in the air” and tilting before hitting the ground hard, which was followed by a massive explosion and four to five consecutive blasts.
- Teams from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and AAIB arrived at the site to conduct a probe. The AAIB team is set to analyse flight recorders, aircraft systems, crew records, and ATC data as part of the investigation.
- Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced three days of state mourning, during which the national flag will fly at half-mast on all government buildings and no official entertainment programmes will be held.
- A state holiday was declared on Wednesday, January 28, leading to the closure of all state government and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) offices.
- The last rites of Ajit Pawar will be performed with full state honours on Thursday (January 29) at 11 am at the Vidya Pratishthan ground in Baramati.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep grief over the “untimely demise”, describing Pawar as a “leader of the people” with a powerful grassroots connection. He personally spoke to veteran leader and Ajit Pawar’s uncle Sharad Pawar to offer his condolences following the loss of his nephew.
- Modi lauded Ajit Pawar’s hardworking personality and his noteworthy passion for empowering the poor and downtrodden in Maharashtra.
- Fadnavis described the loss as “personal” and the departure of a dear friend, noting that a “wave of sorrow” has gripped the state. He highlighted Ajit Pawar’s immense contribution to the state’s development, stating that “Ajit Dada was a hardworking leader” who remained steadfast in all circumstances. Both him and deputy CM Eknath Shinde left for Baramati to stand by the Pawar family in their hour of grief.
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah and President Droupadi Murmu were among the first to condole the death of the NCP veteran.
- Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge noted that Ajit Pawar’s demise has caused sorrow to all, while senior party MP Rahul Gandhi also offered his condolences to the bereaved family.
(With agency inputs)
