Kamal Ghorui
PUNE: Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and four others were killed on Wednesday morning when a chartered Learjet 45 crash-landed at Baramati airport, officials said.The victims have been identified as Pawar, Vidip Jadhav, Pinky Mali, Sumit Kapoor and Shambhavi Pathak.
The aircraft, registered as VT-SSK and operated by VSR, had departed from Mumbai earlier in the day.According to aviation authorities, the jet lost control while attempting to land near the threshold of Runway 11 at around 08.44am.It struck the runway and caught fire immediately. Emergency response teams rushed to the site, but all five occupants were declared dead. Investigations into the cause of the crash are under way.
Who were pilot Sumit Kapur and co-pilot Shambhavi Pathak?
Sumit Kapur, the pilot in command had 16,500 hours of flying experience and was an experienced pilot.According to Shambhavi’s LinkedIn profile, she studied at Air Force Bal Bharati School, completed a degree in aeronautics from the University of Mumbai and later trained at the New Zealand International Commercial Pilot Academy.‘Good weather conditions’Officials said visibility at the time of the accident was around 3,500 metres, indicating good weather conditions and ruling out fog-related factors. The pilot in command had more than 16,500 hours of flying experience.The Learjet 45 is a mid-size business jet commonly used for charter and official travel, known for its advanced avionics and performance.Family members and senior political leaders have been reported to be heading to Baramati as authorities continue their investigation.
