Pune, Jan. 29 -- The death of Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash at Baramati on Wednesday has brought back memories of a flight scare he himself had spoken about barely a year and a half ago, when he narrowly escaped a helicopter incident involving poor visibility and thick clouds. In July 2024, Pawar had publicly recounted how a helicopter carrying him, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and industries minister Uday Samant lost its way while flying from Nagpur to Gadchiroli amid adverse weather conditions. The aircraft, Pawar had said, encountered dense monsoon clouds and low visibility, forcing the pilot to rely on skill and experience to bring the helicopter back on course and land safely. The trio was travelling to Gadchiroli for the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the Rs.10,000-crore Surjagad Ispat integrated steel project in Aheri tehsil. Speaking at the event after the safe landing, Pawar had narrated the episode in detail, crediting the pilot for averting a potential disaster. "The helicopter took off properly from Nagpur and I was quite comfortable initially, watching the clouds. I even asked Fadnavis to look at them," Pawar had said. However, as the journey progressed, the helicopter lost its route due to thick monsoon clouds. Pawar had admitted that he became increasingly restless, while Fadnavis remained calm. "He told me not to worry and said he had survived six accidents earlier and that I too would be safe," Pawar had recalled. Pawar had said he felt relieved only after spotting the landing site from the helicopter window. "After seeing the landing spot, I finally heaved a sigh of relief," he had said, adding that Uday Samant had also alerted him to watch for the landing area. Pawar died when the aircraft he was travelling in crashed while attempting to land at Baramati amid poor visibility, killing four others on board. Preliminary information suggests low visibility may have played a role in the accident, with investigations still underway....