
Death toll rises to 16 after Bangladesh Air Force jet crashes into Dhaka school
Saidur Rahman, a National Burn Institute official in Dhaka, told Bangladesh's leading English daily, The Daily Star, that the death toll rose to 16 within hours.
Bengali-language Prothom Alo daily said most of the injured were students with burn injuries, with at least 20 people taken to a hospital.
Parents and relatives attended the scene as rescuers, using rickshaws or whatever was available, transported the injured.
Rafiqa Taha, a student at the school who was not present at the time of the crash, told The Associated Press by phone that Milestone School and College, with some 2,000 students, runs classes from elementary to 12th grade.
On Monday, she said, some students were taking tests while others attended regular classes.
'I was terrified watching videos on TV,' said the 16-year-old student. 'My God. It's my school.'
The Bangladesh Army's public relations office confirmed in a brief statement that the downed F-7 BGI aircraft belonged to the Air Force.
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Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Pupils' skin 'peels off' from major burns after horror Bangladesh plane crash into school kills 20
The Bangladesh Air Force jet crashed into the Milestone College school campus on Monday, killing at least 20 people, including the pilot, and injuring 171 Students, teachers, and family members have been left shocked and grieving after a Bangladesh Air Force jet crashed into a school campus, resulting in at least 20 deaths. Hasbya Rahman, a student at Milestone School and College in Uttara, Dhaka's suburb, told the Bangladeshi news outlet The Business Standard (TBS) that she was in her classroom when the smoking aircraft suddenly hurtled toward the school. 'We saw the plane engulfed in flames as it came toward us, then it crashed right into the building,' Rahman said. Fortunately, she escaped without injury. 'The air was filled with smoke and screams,' she recalled, adding that teachers were desperately trying to evacuate young children, but many were trapped by the fire and smoke. A spokesperson for Milestone School and College confirmed that the jet crashed near the school gates around 1:06 p.m. local time on Monday, July 21, according to the Times of India. Russia earthquake: 7.4 magnitude quake caught on camera before tsunami warning Moment shaken Delta pilot apologises after jet almost crashes with B-52 bomber The Bangladesh Armed Forces reported that at least 20 people, including the pilot, died after the Air Force training jet crashed due to a 'mechanical fault.' Another 171 people were injured. Masud Tarik, a teacher at the school, told Reuters that he noticed something was wrong when he was walking toward the school's outdoor gate. 'When I was picking up my kids and reached the gate, I saw something coming from behind,' he said. 'I heard an explosion. When I looked back, there was only fire and smoke.' According to India Today, the plane hit the front of the three-story school building, trapping several students. The classrooms for children from playgroup through grades 1 to 5, as well as a canteen, were located in the area of impact, according to TBS. CNN reported that Milestone School has students aged 4 to 18. Footage from Bangladesh's Channel 24 showed smoke rising from the building as firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze. One family member told a local network that his sister, a grade four student, was injured in the crash. Another bystander described the victims arriving at the hospital with severe burns. 'We literally saw skin being torn off,' she said. Teachers and school staff initially helped evacuate students before fire and army rescue teams arrived. Witnesses reported that army personnel carried injured students to vehicles and rushed them to hospitals, as ambulances were not immediately available, according to TBS and India Today. Muhammad Yunus, head of Bangladesh's interim government, vowed that 'necessary measures' would be taken to investigate the crash and provide all needed assistance, the BBC reported. 'This is a moment of deep sorrow for the nation. I wish the injured a speedy recovery and have instructed all relevant authorities, including hospitals, to treat this situation with utmost priority,' he said in a social media statement. Bangladesh will observe a national day of mourning on Tuesday, July 22, with flags flown at half-mast.


The Independent
5 hours ago
- The Independent
Bangladesh jet crash: What we know so far after 25 children killed in school tragedy
A Bangladesh Air Force plane has crashed into a college and school campus in Dhaka, killing at least 27 people, including 25 children. The incident on Monday is the deadliest aviation disaster in the Bangladeshi capital in recent memory. The fighter aircraft took off at 1:06 p.m. (0706 GMT) from the air force base in Dhaka's Kurmitola for a routine training mission, but experienced a mechanical failure soon after. The pilot attempted to divert the aircraft away from densely populated areas to minimize civilian casualties and damage, but his efforts were unsuccessful and the jet crashed into a building. It echoes a 2008 crash where an F-7 air force training jet went down outside Dhaka, killing its pilot who ejected after a technical problem. Details are still emerging. While details are still emerging, here's what is known so far about Monday's crash: The crash The F-7 BGI jet, a variant of a Chinese fighter, crashed into the campus of the Milestone School and College, in the Uttara neighborhood of Dhaka. The pilot was among the dead, according to the military and a fire official, and 171 people, mostly students, have been injured. On Tuesday, 78 people remained in hospital. Officials described the plane as a training aircraft. The military said the jet took off from Bangladesh Air Force Base A.K. Khandaker in Dhaka's Kurmitola neighborhood at 1:06 p.m. and crashed soon after, catching fire immediately. The military said the pilot tried to avoid densely populated areas but the jet hit a two-story building. It said the aircraft experienced a "technical malfunction," adding that a high-level Air Force committee will investigate the cause. Milestone school The crash happened on the campus of Milestone, a school with some 2,000 students. It describes itself as having more than two decades of experience as a leading private educational institution. Rafiqa Taha, a student who was not present at the time of the crash, told The Associated Press by phone that the school offers classes from elementary to 12th grade. The school says it has a focus on extracurricular activities, career counseling and "global opportunities." The Uttara neighborhood is in northern Dhaka, a metropolitan area of more than 20 million people. The victims Details are still emerging. Local media reports said many of the more than 160 injured were students who were on campus for afternoon classes. Maherin Chowdhury, a teacher who rescued more than 20 students from the burning school, died from severe burn injuries, her colleague Tanzina Tanu said. Bangladesh's interim leader Muhammad Yunus pledged an investigation, expressing his deep sorrow over the "heartbreaking accident." The government has announced a day of mourning Tuesday, with flags to fly at half-staff across the country. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a post on X: "Our hearts go out to the bereaved families. India stands in solidarity with Bangladesh and is ready to extend all possible support and assistance."


Reuters
6 hours ago
- Reuters
How did a Bangladesh air force fighter jet crash into a school campus?
NEW DELHI, July 22 (Reuters) - At least 25 children were among the 27 people killed when a Bangladesh Air Force plane crashed into a college and school campus in the capital city of Dhaka on Monday. Here is a look at what happened. The fighter aircraft took off at 1:06 p.m. (0706 GMT) from the air force base in Dhaka's Kurmitola for a routine training mission, but experienced a mechanical failure soon after. The pilot attempted to divert the aircraft away from densely populated areas to minimize civilian casualties and damage, but his efforts were unsuccessful and the jet crashed into a building. The two-storey building that the plane rammed into belonged to the Milestone School and College in Dhaka's Diabari area, located about 10 kilometres (six miles) from the air force base. Visuals from the scene showed the mangled remains of the aircraft dented into the side of the building, dismantling its iron grills and creating a gaping hole in the structure. The bodies of at least 27 people, including 25 children, a teacher, and the jet's pilot, were pulled out from the debris. More than 100 children and 15 other people were also injured, of whom 78 are still admitted in hospitals with burn injuries. The jet was an F-7 fighter aircraft - the final and most advanced variant in China's Chengdu J-7/F-7 aircraft family, according to Jane's Information Group. Bangladesh had signed a contract in 2011 for 16 such planes, and deliveries were completed by 2013. The Bangladesh Air Force has formed a high-level investigation committee to probe the cause of the accident. Muhammad Yunus, the head of the country's interim government, has also vowed to "take all necessary measures" to investigate its cause. In the meantime, the government says it is providing "all kinds of assistance" to those affected.