“Papa, I’m Flying to Baramati with Ajit Pawar…” Flight Attendant Pinky Mali’s Last Call to Father

Pune/Baramati: The tragic plane crash near Baramati claimed the lives of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others. Among the victims was flight attendant Pinky Mali, whose final phone conversation with her father has now come to light.

Hours before the accident, Pinky Mali called her father, Shivkumar Mali, saying, “Papa, I’m flying to Baramati with Ajit Pawar. After dropping him off, I’ll head to Nanded. We’ll talk tomorrow.” Her father had replied, assuring her they would speak the next day. Tragically, that “tomorrow” never came. Shivkumar Mali expressed his grief, saying, “I have lost my daughter. I just want her body so that I can give her a proper farewell.”

Pinky Mali, a resident of Mumbai’s Worli area, was known for her discipline and dedication in the aviation industry. She had previously accompanied Ajit Pawar on several official trips. Shivkumar Mali said he was unaware of any technical issues but is utterly devastated by the incident.

How the Accident Occurred

The ill-fated Learjet-45, registered VT-SSK, was operated by Delhi-based private company VSR Ventures. The aircraft took off from Mumbai at approximately 8:10 AM on Wednesday, carrying five people: Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, private security officer Videep Jadhav, flight attendant Pinky Mali, Captain Sumit Kapoor, and First Officer Shambhavi Pathak.

While attempting to land at Baramati Airport, the aircraft lost balance and crashed around 8:50 AM. Radar contact was lost shortly before the accident, and rescue teams rushed to the site immediately.

The heartbreaking last words of Pinky Mali highlight the personal tragedies intertwined with this political and administrative calamity, underscoring the human cost behind the news headlines.