Ajit Pawar

The video shows the aircraft plunging from the sky moments before crashing on the ground. Within seconds, a huge ball of fire emerges in the background

abletop runways, perched on hilltop plateaus with sheer drops at their ends, offer pilots scant margin for error, often creating optical illusions that make the strip appear closer than it is. The Learjet 45 flying in from Mumbai lost control during descent on its 1,770-metre runway, situated at 604 metres above mean sea level without advanced landing aids.

Maharashtra deputy CM Ajit Pawar and four others died after a Learjet 45 crashed short of Baramati runway in dense fog during a second landing attempt, DGCA says.

In a post on X mourning Ajit Pawar, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said that she is "deeply shocked and stunned by the suddden demise" of the NCP leader.

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis announces three-day state mourning and a holiday after deputy CM Ajit Pawar dies in a Baramati aircraft crash.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and all five people on board a Learjet 45 died when the aircraft crashed at Baramati, with VSR Aviation insisting the plane was safe and the crew experienced.

He announced the implementation of the PM Setu scheme in Industrial Training Institutes across Nagpur, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, and Pune districts, aimed at boosting employability for youth, with plans to expand to other districts in subsequent phases.

Ajit Pawar died on Wednesday morning after the aircraft he was travelling in crash-landed in Maharashtra’s Baramati, according to official statements issued after the incident.

Ajit Pawar's death in a plane crash in Baramati on Wednesday has left a huge void in Maharashtra's politics and big shoes to fill for his immediate successor in the NCP.

According to flight tracking data from Flightradar24, the aircraft disappeared from radar at about 8.45 am, following a journey of roughly 35 minutes. Visuals from the site showed the extensive wreckage of the Learjet scattered across the area, with the fuselage consumed by intense flames and thick black smoke.

The Learjet 45XR is a high-performance, super-light business aircraft known for its speed, fuel efficiency and ability to fly at high altitudes.

Notably, the coming together of the two NCP factions for the Maharashtra civic polls triggered speculations of a possible merger between the uncle and nephew.

A seasoned politician, Ajit Pawar served multiple terms as deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, making him one of the longest-serving politicians in that role

NCP leader and Ajit Pawar’s cousin Supriya Sule expressed shock over the untimely demise of the Maharashtra deputy chief minister, saying she was devastated by the loss.

Ajit Pawar death: Here's a look at a list of the politicians and prominent figures who lost their lives in air tragedies

Check the latest updates and reactions to the death of Maharashtra deputy CM Ajit Pawar in plane crash in Baramati

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar's aircraft crashed while attempting to land in Baramati

When asked whether this alliance would extend beyond the civic polls, Ajit Pawar said no decision had been taken but acknowledged its immediate impact.

Pawar recently launched a sharp attack on the BJP's tenure in the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), alleging financial mismanagement and poor governance.

"We have an alliance at the Centre and in the state, but here it is a direct contest,” said Ajit Pawar.