Tragedy in Bangladesh: Military jet hits school, dozens killed
Photo: Fighter jet crashes into school in Bangladesh (Getty Images)
A fighter jet has crashed onto a school campus in the capital of Bangladesh. Dozens of people have been killed, and over 100 others have been injured, BBC reports.
In the capital of Bangladesh, Dhaka, at least 19 people were killed and over 100 injured after a training aircraft of the country’s Air Force crashed onto the grounds of Milestone School and College in the northern suburb of Uttara.
According to official reports, the F-7 BGI jet, which took off around 1:06 p.m. local time, crashed during a training flight. The pilot died at the scene.
The National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery reported that more than 50 victims, including both children and adults, were admitted with varying degrees of burn injuries.
The total death toll may rise, as official data remains inconsistent.
Witnesses described hearing an explosion and seeing the moment the plane collided with the school building, which accommodates students aged 4 to 18.
One teacher said he saw the plane crash directly into the building, while another recalled hearing a powerful explosion followed by fire and smoke.
Rescue teams searching for survivors
Nine fire brigades and six ambulances are operating at the scene. Rescuers are clearing the charred debris in search of survivors while simultaneously evacuating the injured.
The head of the interim government, Muhammad Yunus, stated that a thorough investigation into the incident will be conducted and that all necessary assistance will be provided to the victims.
He also expressed condolences to the families of those killed and urged all state agencies to respond to the situation as quickly as possible.
Bangladesh has declared a day of mourning on Tuesday, and the national flag has been lowered to half-mast across the country.
What led up to the incident
The incident occurred on July 21 in the northern district of Bangladesh’s capital, Uttara.
An F-7 BGI training fighter jet of the country’s Air Force crashed onto the grounds of Milestone School and College shortly after takeoff at 1:06 p.m. local time.
According to initial official reports, one person was confirmed dead and at least four others were injured immediately after the crash.
Footage from the scene showed a large fire and thick smoke rising above the campus.
