Aircraft carrying Ajit Pawar that crashed at Baramati landed at Surat airport on Jan 25, 26
Sources said the VT-SSK aircraft was manufactured in 2010 as a Learjet 45 XR model. It was operated by Mayfair Jets DWC LLC, under VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd. The aircraft could carry up to nine passengers.
The aircraft that crashed at the Baramati airport in Pune district, killing Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others on Wednesday, has a Surat connection— the private plane flew multiple times between Mumbai and Surat carrying passengers on January 25 and 26.
Surat International Airport Director S C Bhalse said: “Learjet 45 aircraft (VT-SSK) flew from Mumbai to Surat and back multiple times. The last movement of the aircraft at Surat airport was on January 26. It was a non-scheduled flight. There is no parking facility for the aircraft at Surat airport.”
Sources at Surat International Airport said that the landing and departure procedures were followed.
On January 25, the VT-SSK aircraft departed from Surat airport at 11.09 pm and landed at Mumbai Airport at 11.09 pm. On the next day, on 26th January, the same aircraft departed from Mumbai at 4.57 pm, and landed at Surat airport at 5.26 pm. The aircraft (VT-SSK) departed from Surat on January 26 at 11.46 pm and landed at Mumbai airport at 12.27 am on January 27.
Sources said the VT-SSK aircraft was manufactured in 2010 as a Learjet 45 XR model. It was operated by Mayfair Jets DWC LLC, under VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd. The aircraft could carry up to nine passengers.
Surat is hosting Indian Street Premier League cricket tournaments with eight teams participating – Majhi Mumbai, Srinagar Ke Veer, Ahmedabad Lions, Tigers of Kolkata, Chennai Singams, Delhi Superheros, Falcon risers (Hyderabad) and Bengaluru Strikers. The cricket tournament is played at Lalbhai Cricket stadium in Surat.
Sources said that on January 26, the family members of the team owner of the Kolkata Tigers flew from Mumbai to Surat on the same aircraft and flew back to Mumbai and then to Kolkata.
Kamal Saiyed is a senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, providing extensive, on-the-ground coverage from Surat and the broader South Gujarat region and the Union territories of Daman, Diu & Dadra Nagar Haveli. With a reporting career at the publication spanning back to 2007, he has established himself as a high-authority voice on the industrial, social, and political pulse of one of India’s fastest-growing urban hubs.
Expertise
Industrial & Economic Beat: Based in the "Diamond City," Saiyed offers expert reporting on the diamond and textile industries. His work tracks global market shifts (such as De Beers production changes), local trade policies, and the socio-economic challenges facing the millions of workers in Surat’s manufacturing hubs.
Civic & Infrastructure Coverage: He consistently reports on urban development and public safety in Surat, including:
Traffic & Urban Planning: Monitoring the city's 13-fold increase in traffic violations and the implementation of new municipal drives.
Public Safety: Investigative reporting on infrastructure failures, fire safety NOC compliance in schools and commercial buildings, and Metro rail progress.
Political Reporting: Tracking the shifting dynamics between the BJP, Congress, and AAP in South Gujarat and the neighboring Union Territories (Daman, Diu, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli).
Crime beat: Armed with a good source network Saiyed has been able to bring out the human side of crime stories in his region ... Read More
