BARAMATI: Acting on an urgent request from the Maharashtra government, the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Wednesday deployed a team of Air Traffic Control (ATC) personnel along with critical technical equipment from Air Force Station Lohegaon to Baramati Airport, defence officials said. The team swiftly established emergency ATC operations, including communication and other essential facilities, in coordination with the local administration to ensure safe and efficient air traffic management at the airport. In a post on X, the IAF said a dedicated team of Air Warriors had been dispatched following the tragic aircraft crash at Baramati Airport and is currently providing basic Air Traffic Control and Meteorological services. “In response to the civic authorities’ urgent request after the tragic aircraft crash at Baramati Airport, the Indian Air Force has swiftly deployed a dedicated team of Air Warriors. They are providing essential basic Air Traffic Control (ATC) and Meteorological services to support safe air operations from the site,” the IAF said, adding that the move reflects its commitment to national service during emergencies. The development comes after Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar was killed in a crash landing of a chartered aircraft at Baramati airport earlier in the day. As part of the investigation, officials of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) visited the office of VSR Ventures Private Limited, the operator of the ill-fated aircraft. The probe team was seen collecting boxes of documents for examination. Airframe and engine logbooks, work orders, onboard documents and major inspection records will be scrutinised. The investigators have also sought records from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) related to the aircraft and its crew. Radar data, CCTV footage, ATC recordings and hotline communications are also being obtained for detailed analysis. Pawar, 66, was travelling to Baramati to campaign for the Zilla Panchayat elections when the aircraft crashed while attempting to land at the airport in Pune district. The chartered plane crash-landed near the runway threshold at around 8.48 am, killing all five people on board, including Pawar, his personal security officer, a flight attendant and two pilots. The DGCA and AAIB have dispatched separate probe teams to the site to investigate the cause of the accident.
