CCTV footage has emerged showing the aircraft carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, crashing and exploding near Baramati Airport on Wednesday morning, January 28. The 66-year-old Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader was killed instantly alongside four others when their chartered Learjet 45 went down during a second landing attempt.
The aircraft, operated by VSR Ventures, had departed from Mumbai at approximately 8:10 am. According to flight tracking data and eyewitness accounts, the plane ran into difficulties during its descent at Baramati.
The 26-second CCTV video shows the aircraft erupting into a massive fireball at approximately 8:46 am after crashing into the ground while attempting a second time. After the accident, a loud explosion was followed by thick plumes of black smoke, as seen in the video. The video was recorded by a surveillance camera installed at a roadside shop in the area.
Maharashtra Deputy CM's body was identified through his wristwatch from the plane wreckage, which was destroyed by a huge fire that engulfed the aircraft after the crash.
Also Read | Ajit Pawar Passes Away: How Maharashtra Deputy CM's Body Identified After Plane Crash in Baramati.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has confirmed that there were no survivors. The five victims have been identified as:
Ajit Pawar, Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra
Capt. Sumit Kapur, Pilot-in-Command
Capt. Shambhavi Pathak, Co-pilot
Sumit Kapoor, Personal Security Officer (PSO)
Pinky Mali, Personal Attendant
DY CM Pawar was travelling to his political stronghold of Baramati to lead a campaign for the upcoming Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections.