NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) on Thursday said all response and investigative mechanisms were activated immediately following the aircraft accident near Baramati in Maharashtra on Wednesday, asserting that a thorough, transparent and time-bound inquiry was under way.
Ministry officials said teams from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation were rushed to the crash site.
“A three-member AAIB team from Delhi and another three officers from the DGCA’s Mumbai Regional Office reached Baramati on January 28, the day of the crash. AAIB Director General GVG Yugandhar also arrived at the site the same day to oversee the investigation,” said an official.
Officials confirmed that the black box of the ill-fated aircraft had been recovered and that the probe was progressing expeditiously.
The investigation has been initiated under Rules 5 and 11 of the AAIB Rules, 2025, and will be conducted strictly in accordance with established standard operating procedures and laid-down guidelines.
“The Ministry of Civil Aviation remains fully committed to completing the investigation within a defined timeframe,” officials said, stressing that all aspects of the accident would be examined in detail.
The crash occurred on Wednesday morning when the aircraft carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar went down while landing at Baramati in Pune district. The aircraft caught fire on impact, killing Pawar and four others on board, including the pilot in command and the co-pilot.
Footage from the site showed the wreckage engulfed in flames, with emergency services deployed to contain the fire and secure the area.