NEW DELHI: “Bone-chilling” feels like the only word that fits when the late risers of India woke up on Wednesday to the devastating news of Ajit Pawar’s tragic demise. The sudden loss of the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief in a tragic plane crash near Baramati sent shockwaves.The Indian sports fraternity united in grief, mourning a leader who was fondly known as “Dada” and whose influence extended well beyond politics.
As the President of the Maharashtra Olympic Association, Ajit Pawar played a key role in strengthening the state’s sporting ecosystem. India Olympic Association chief PT Usha led the condolences. Cricketing icon Sachin Tendulkar remembered him as a dedicated leader who worked tirelessly for the people of Maharashtra. Olympic medallist boxer Vijender Singh, India batter Ajinkya Rahane, and several other athletes echoed similar sentiments.Over the decades, several air tragedies have left scars so deep that they continue to haunt fans, teammates, and nations alike. Here, we remember some of the most bone-chilling air disasters that broke the sporting world’s heart.Munich air tragedyOne of the darkest days in football history came on February 6, 1958, when a plane carrying the Manchester United team crashed shortly after take-off in Munich. The team, famously known as the “Busby Babes”, was returning from a European Cup match when the aircraft failed to gain altitude on an icy runway.
Manchester United Supporters show off a banner to honour the victims on February 6, 1958 (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
Twenty-three lives were lost, including eight players.The tragedy robbed football of extraordinary young talent and forced Manchester United to rebuild from the ashes.Basketball still remembers Kobe BryantOn January 26, 2020, the sporting world was left numb when NBA legend Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. His 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others lost their lives.
Host Hugh Grant asks for applause to commemorate late Kobe Bryant during the 2020 Laureus World Sports Awards at Verti Music Hall on February 17, 2020 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images for Laureus)
Bryant was more than a basketball icon. His sudden death triggered an outpouring of grief from athletes across sports, as fans struggled to accept that one of the greatest competitors of all time was gone in an instant.The tragedy of Chapecoense In November 2016, Brazilian football club Chapecoense was on the brink of history. They were travelling to Colombia for the Copa Sudamericana final. However, tragedy struck as LaMia Flight 2933 crashed near Medellín due to fuel exhaustion.
Relatives mourn over the coffin with the remains of Brazilian team Chapecoense Real at the club’s Arena Conda stadium in Chapeco, in the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina, on December 03, 2016. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images)
Seventy-one people lost their lives, including most of the Chapecoense squad, staff, and journalists. The football world responded with unity and compassion, as rivals mourned together. Chapecoense were posthumously awarded the title, but the trophy could never fill the void left by the tragedy.The Andes flight disasterThe 1972 Andes plane crash is one of the most harrowing survival stories. Carrying the Old Christians Club rugby team, a Uruguayan Air Force plane crashed into the Andes Mountains as they were heading towards Chile.Of the 45 people on board, only 16 survived after enduring 72 days in freezing conditions. Forced to make unimaginable decisions to stay alive, their story transcended sport and became a powerful testament to human resilience, later immortalised in books and films.Emiliano SalaFootball was once again plunged into mourning in January 2019 when Argentine striker Emiliano Sala died in a plane crash over the English Channel. Sala was travelling from France to join his new club in Cardiff City after completing a high-profile transfer from Nantes.
A detailed view as the Monaco players warm up in shirts paying tribute to Emiliano Sala during the Ligue 1 match between AS Monaco and FC Nantes at Stade Louis II on February 16, 2019 in Monaco. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
The disappearance and subsequent recovery of the aircraft captured global attention. Sala’s death left fans and players alike shaken by the cruel twist of fate.A tragedy after fairytaleIn October 2018, tragedy struck outside Leicester City’s King Power Stadium. A helicopter carrying club owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha crashed shortly after take-off. Vichai, credited with Leicester’s fairy-tale Premier League title in 2016, was widely loved by players and supporters.
Players, officals and fans take part in a minutes of silence for the Leicester City helicopter disaster prior to the Carabao Cup Fourth Round match between West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur at London Stadium on October 31, 2018 in London. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
His death devastated the club and the city, as fans gathered in thousands to honour a man who had transformed Leicester City both on and off the pitch.Zambian National Football Team (1993)One of Africa’s greatest football tragedies occurred in April 1993, when a plane carrying the Zambian national team crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Gabon. All 30 people on board were killed.The team was travelling for a World Cup qualifier, and the crash wiped out a golden generation of Zambian footballers. Remarkably, Zambia rebuilt and went on to win the Africa Cup of Nations in 2012, dedicating the triumph to the fallen heroes.
