In a heartbreaking aviation mishap near Baramati, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar perished along with four others, prompting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to personally console NCP patriarch Sharad Pawar on Wednesday.
The conversation underscored national solidarity amid grief. Arrangements are underway for Pawar’s funeral in Baramati on Thursday, where PM Modi and Amit Shah are likely to join the rites.
Modi’s X post captured the nation’s mood: profoundly affected by the Baramati crash, he extended prayers for the families enduring unimaginable loss.
Maharashtra’s body politic is in deep mourning, with tributes pouring in for the influential leader whose absence leaves a void.
Black box data and communications paint a tense picture. The Learjet crew struggled with runway visibility despite clearance. Multiple approach attempts ended in catastrophe as fire broke out post-clearance.
Pawar, heading to a local engagement, never made it. The crash at 8:44 AM claimed five lives, including the crew.
Civil Aviation details reveal the flight’s handover from Pune control 30 nautical miles out, under visual conditions. Queries on weather yielded calm assurances, yet visibility faltered critically.
First go-around followed visibility complaints; second attempt saw delayed runway sighting. No landing readback preceded the inferno spotted near Runway 11’s threshold.
As investigations unfold, questions swirl around training airport operations and pilot decision-making. Political figures urge swift action to prevent future tragedies, while Baramati mourns a son of the soil whose legacy endures.