An eyewitness to the Baramati plane crash on Wednesday said the aircraft appeared unstable as it descended, before crashing and erupting into flames moments later. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and five others were killed in the accident.
“I saw it with my eyes. This is really painful. When the aircraft descended, it seemed it would crash, and it did crash. It then exploded. There was a massive explosion. After that, we rushed here and saw that the aircraft was on fire,” said the eyewitness.
He said people nearby ran towards the site immediately. There were 4-5 explosions in the aircraft again. More people came here, and they tried to pull the people out (of the aircraft). But since this was a huge fire, people could not help,” he said.
The eyewitness added that the news of Ajit Pawar being onboard left locals shaken. “Ajit Pawar was onboard and this is really painful for us. I can’t describe it in words….”
PM Modi, Amit Shah speak to Maharashtra CM
In New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to assess the situation following the crash, officials said.
Both leaders were briefed on the accident and the emergency response underway, according to officials in the Maharashtra government.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that all six people on board the chartered aircraft were killed. The plane was flying from Mumbai to Baramati and crashed while attempting to land near the town.
Visuals from the site showed thick smoke, flames, and the twisted remains of the aircraft. Ambulances and fire services were seen moving in and out of the area as locals gathered to help.
Rescue efforts and investigation
The crash occurred at 8:45 am, about an hour after the aircraft took off from Mumbai. Ajit Pawar was travelling to Baramati to attend a public meeting amid elections to the Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis.
Emergency teams and senior officials reached the site soon after the crash. Three bodies were taken to the Baramati Medical College, where identification is underway, the Pune Superintendent of Police said.
A DGCA team has arrived at the crash site to examine the wreckage and determine the cause of the accident.
Members of Pawar’s family also rushed to Baramati. His wife, MP Sunetra Pawar, and son Parth Pawar were travelling from Delhi, along with his cousin and NCP-SP working president Supriya Sule, officials said.
The incident follows earlier aviation-related scares involving the leader. In October last year, a helicopter meant to pick up NCP leader Sunil Tatkare crashed in Pune. The region has also seen emergency landings in the past due to poor weather.
Authorities said more details would be shared after preliminary findings are available.