The Black Box of the Learjet 45 that crashed near the Baramati on Wednesday has been recovered, the Ministry of Civil Aviation confirmed.
The device, which records crucial flight data, will aid investigators in determining the cause of the accident that claimed the lives of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, his personal security officer, an attendant, and the two cockpit crew members, pilot-in-command Sumit Kapur and first officer Shambhavi Pathak.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), tasked with probing all serious aviation accidents involving aircraft over 2,250 kg or turbojet planes, was formally directed to investigate the crash
“The investigation is progressing expeditiously, and the Black Box of the ill-fated aircraft has been recovered,” the ministry said in a statement on X.
The Learjet, operated by Delhi-based VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd, crashed during its second attempt to land on the Baramati table-top airstrip.
Teams from the AAIB in Delhi and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) Mumbai Regional Office reached the crash site on January 28, alongside the Director General of AAIB.
(With inputs from PTI)