'The plane was on fire, I saw it crash': Eyewitness on Baramati plane crash that killed Ajit Pawar

Family members and supporters of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar have started arriving at the Baramati Medical College and Hospital following the tragic plane crash earlier in the day.

Ajit Pawar and four others died in a plane crash near Baramati on Wednesday. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed the deaths.

The plane crashed while landing near Baramati. Visuals from the spot show fire and smoke, mangled remains of the plane, and ambulances rushing the injured to nearby hospitals. There were people at the wreckage site trying to extend help in every possible way.

This incident occurred around 9 a.m., an hour after the plane took off from Mumbai.

An eyewitness present near the crash site described the horrifying moments leading up to the tragedy. "I saw it with my own eyes. This is really painful. When the aircraft descended, it looked like it would crash and it did. There was a massive explosion. After that, we rushed here and saw the aircraft on fire. There were four to five more explosions inside the plane. People tried to pull those inside out, but the fire was too intense. Ajit Pawar was on board. I can't describe this pain in words," the eyewitness said.

The crash occurred as the aircraft was landing in the Baramati area of Pune district. Initial reports suggested that all five occupants had sustained serious injuries. However, it was later confirmed that there were no survivors. 

NCP(SP) chief and Ajit Pawar's uncle, Sharad Pawar, departed from his residence for Baramati along with his family.

Ajit Pawar's wife and Rajya Sabha member Sunetra Pawar, their son Parth Pawar, and his cousin NCP(SP) MP Supriya Sule will depart from Delhi for Mumbai soon.

Meanwhile, a large crowd has gathered outside the hospital.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde will also depart for Baramati soon.

The state government has also cancelled all the official events in view of the plane crash.

Minister Dattatray Vithoba Bharne, who arrived at the hospital, was seen in tears over the death of Ajit Pawar.

NCP leader Anil Deshmukh, while speaking to the media in Nagpur, became emotional when asked about Deputy CM Pawar. Tears welled up in his eyes, and he folded his hands and walked away.

Amid ongoing elections to the Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis, Dy CM Ajit Pawar was travelling from Mumbai to Baramati to attend a public meeting.

Emergency services and senior security officials have reached the site in Baramati. Rescue teams were deployed immediately after the aircraft lost control during the landing phase.

Three bodies were rushed to the Baramati Medical College. The identification of the bodies is underway, as per the Pune Superintendent of Police (SP).

A team of DGCA officials has arrived at the plane crash site.

More details were awaited about the plane crash.