Ajit Pawar, the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, has died alongside four others after a chartered aircraft crashed while attempting to land in western India on Wednesday, authorities confirmed.
The civil aviation ministry said the Bombardier Learjet 45 went down in an open field near Baramati airport at about 8:44 a.m. local time. Pawar, 66, was travelling on the jet operated by private aviation company VSR Aviation.
Also on board were Pawar’s personal security officer, an assistant, and two crew members, according to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. All five occupants were confirmed dead at the scene.
VSR Aviation owner V.K. Singh said preliminary information suggested there was no mechanical issue with the aircraft, describing it as “very well maintained.”
“There was absolutely no problem in the aircraft. As far as we know, there was no technical failure,” Singh told reporters in New Delhi.
Pawar was a prominent political figure in Maharashtra, the state that hosts India’s financial capital, Mumbai.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to the late deputy chief minister, describing him as a “leader of the people” in a post on X.
Modi said Pawar’s death was “shocking and saddening,” praising him as a widely respected and hardworking politician with a strong commitment to public service.
“His understanding of administrative matters and passion for empowering the poor and downtrodden were also noteworthy,” the Prime Minister added.
Authorities said investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the crash.
