"Papa, I'm Flying With Ajit Pawar To Baramati": Crew Member's Last Call To Father

A heartbreaking final conversation between a dedicated flight attendant and her loving father has come to light following the devastating Baramati plane crash. This tragedy claimed the lives of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four other individuals, leaving a nation in mourning and families shattered.

The poignant revelation centers around Pinky Mali, a flight attendant from Worli, Mumbai, whose last words to her father, Shivkumar Mali, painted a picture of routine work before an unforeseen catastrophe. "Papa, I am flying to Baramati with Ajit Pawar. After dropping him off, I will head to Nanded. We'll talk tomorrow," Pinky had conveyed to her father. This seemingly ordinary exchange on the eve of the flight now resonates with an unbearable weight, as "tomorrow" for Shivkumar Mali never arrived.

Shivkumar Mali, grappling with an unimaginable loss, recounted his response: "I told her, 'We'll talk tomorrow after your work.' But that tomorrow will never arrive." His words encapsulate the profound grief of a parent who lost a child without warning. He further disclosed that Pinky had frequently accompanied the prominent political leader on numerous journeys, underscoring her commitment to her profession. Overwhelmed by sorrow, Shivkumar expressed his raw anguish: "I have lost my daughter. I do not know what exactly happened, as I have no technical knowledge about such incidents. I am completely shattered. I just want my daughter's body so that I can perform her last rites with dignity. That is all I wish for." His desperate plea highlights the human cost of such disasters, focusing on the simple, yet profound, need for closure.

The ill-fated incident occurred on a Wednesday morning near Baramati airport in the Pune district. The aircraft involved was a Learjet 45, registered as VT-SSK, operated by a Delhi-based aviation company. On board were five individuals: Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, his personal security officer Vidip Jadhav, flight attendant Pinky Mali, Pilot-in-Command Sumit Kapur, and Second-in-Command Shambhavi Pathak. Each individual represented a life, a career, and a family now forever impacted by the crash.

According to the meticulously tracked flight details, the aircraft departed from Mumbai at approximately 8:10 am. It maintained its trajectory for a short period before vanishing from radar screens around 8:45 am. The tragic impact occurred mere minutes later, at 8:50 am. It was revealed that Ajit Pawar was en route to address a series of four crucial political rallies across Pune district. These rallies were part of an intensive campaign ahead of the impending zilla parishad elections scheduled for February 5, highlighting the significant public duty he was undertaking at the time of the disaster.

The aftermath saw a swift and coordinated response from emergency services and senior security officials, who converged on the crash site with remarkable speed after reports indicated the aircraft had lost control during its landing approach. Rescue teams were immediately deployed, working tirelessly under challenging circumstances to assess the situation and provide assistance. The scene was one of profound shock and immense sorrow, as the reality of the incident began to sink in.

In the wake of the catastrophe, a specialized team of investigators from the nation's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau promptly traveled from Delhi to Pune on Wednesday. Their crucial mission is to launch a thorough and impartial probe into the incident. The investigation aims to meticulously examine all possible factors that may have contributed to the crash, including technical malfunctions, human error, weather conditions, and operational procedures. The findings of this detailed inquiry will be vital in understanding the precise sequence of events that led to this unfortunate loss of life and in implementing measures to prevent similar tragedies in the future, ensuring aviation safety remains paramount.