Baramati Aircraft Crash: Ajit Pawar among six killed, DGCA Confirms
Baramati/New Delhi, Jan 28:
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar was among six people killed in a plane crash near Baramati on Wednesday, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and local authorities confirmed.
The aircraft reportedly went down during the landing phase close to Baramati airport, with officials stating that all six occupants on board lost their lives.
Mumbai Maharashtra: Following the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash at Baramati, the state government announced three days of mourning. The National Flag at Maharashtra Lok Bhavan was lowered to half-mast, and Governor Acharya Devvrat led a… pic.twitter.com/zRjFxByrac
— IANS (@ians_india) January 28, 2026
The DGCA said the plane lost control while approaching the runway, prompting the immediate deployment of emergency and rescue teams.
Rescue operations at crash site
Visuals circulating from the crash location showed thick smoke and flames rising from the wreckage, with the aircraft reduced to mangled debris.
Ambulances and emergency responders were seen rushing to the area, while local residents were reported to have tried assisting the injured in every possible way.
Officials said the incident occurred around 9 a.m., nearly an hour after the aircraft departed from Mumbai.
Pawar was travelling for public meeting
Ajit Pawar was flying in Learjet 45 that crashed in Baramati. According to party sources, he was travelling from Mumbai to Baramati to attend a public meeting in the midst of the ongoing Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections.
DGCA names victims, probe team reaches site
Apart from Ajit Pawar, as per information released by the DGCA, those reported dead include Pawar’s personal security officer Vidip Jadhav, attendant Pinky Mali, and two crew members — Captain Sumit Kapur and Captain Shambhavi Pathak.
A DGCA investigation team has since arrived at the crash site to examine the wreckage and determine the cause of the accident.
Eyewitnesses describe explosion and multiple blasts
Eyewitnesses near the airport described dramatic scenes moments before the crash.
One woman told a Marathi news channel that the aircraft appeared unstable while circling the airport and exploded after hitting the ground.
She claimed the impact was so powerful that the sound was heard in nearby residential areas, with parts of the aircraft falling close to her house.
Another eyewitness said the plane seemed to lose control at a low altitude of around 100 feet.
He claimed that flames erupted immediately, followed by multiple blasts that prevented people from approaching the wreckage.
PM Modi, HM Shah speak to Maharashtra CM
Following the incident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to assess the situation.
Both leaders were briefed on the crash and the emergency response measures underway.
Family members of Ajit Pawar and senior Nationalist Congress Party leaders were reported to be heading to Baramati as authorities continued investigations into the incident. (IANS Edited)