Ajit Pawar Among 5 Killed as Charter Plane Crashes

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was killed on Wednesday morning after a chartered aircraft carrying him crashed near Baramati, Maharashtra, shortly before its scheduled landing, officials said. The crash resulted in the deaths of five people on board, including two pilots, a flight attendant and Pawar’s personal security officer.

The aircraft, a Learjet 45 operated by Delhi-based non-scheduled air operator VSR Ventures, had departed from Mumbai at around 8:10am. According to flight tracking data, the jet lost contact approximately 35 minutes later in a hilly area about 20 kilometres from Baramati airport.

Victims on Board

Along with Ajit Pawar, the victims of the crash were identified as:

• Captain Sumit Kapur

• First Officer Shambhavi Pathak

• A flight attendant

• Pawar’s personal security officer Vidip Jadhav

Profile of First Officer Shambhavi Pathak

First Officer Shambhavi Pathak was a commercially licensed pilot serving with VSR Ventures. She completed her schooling at Air Force Bal Bharati School before receiving pilot training from the New Zealand International Commercial Pilot Academy. She later earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautics, Aviation and Aerospace Science and Technology from the University of Mumbai.

Pathak also worked as an Assistant Flying Instructor at the Madhya Pradesh Flying Club and held a Flight Instructor Rating (A). She possessed a Frozen Airline Transport Pilot Licence issued by India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation, along with multiple aviation and safety certifications from India and abroad.

Purpose of the Journey

Ajit Pawar was travelling to Baramati to attend several political meetings in preparation for the upcoming local government elections scheduled for next month.

Authorities have initiated an investigation into the cause of the crash. Further information is expected following analysis of flight data and examination of the crash site.