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News24
22-07-2025
- General
- News24
Grief, trauma, ‘profound pain for the nation' as 27 dead in Bangladesh fighter jet crash
Authorities updated the death toll from a jet crash to 27. A Chinese-made F-7 BJI aircraft slammed into the Milestone School and College. The interim government declared that Tuesday would be a day of national mourning. At least 27 people, mostly children, were killed after a Bangladeshi fighter jet crashed into a school in the capital Dhaka, a government official said on Tuesday, updating an earlier toll of at least 20 dead. Most of the victims were schoolchildren who had just been let out of class when the Chinese-made F-7 BJI aircraft slammed into the Milestone School and College on Monday. The crash, which is the country's deadliest aviation accident in decades, also left more than 170 people injured. 'So far, 27 people have died. Among them, 25 are children and one is a pilot,' Sayedur Rahman, special assistant to the chief adviser for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, said. 'Seventy-eight people are being treated in different hospitals,' Rahman added. READ | At least 16 killed as Bangladesh fighter jet crashes into school The Bangladesh military on Monday had said the pilot, flight lieutenant Towkir Islam, was on a routine training mission when the jet 'reportedly encountered a mechanical failure'. 'The exact cause remains under investigation,' it said in a statement. The pilot tried to divert the aircraft away from densely populated areas but, 'despite his best efforts', crashed into the two-storey school building, the military added. The interim government of Muhammad Yunus declared that Tuesday would be a day of national mourning. Yunus expressed 'deep grief and sorrow' over the incident in a post on X. 'The loss suffered by the Air Force, the students, parents, teachers, and staff of Milestone School and College, as well as others affected by this accident, is irreparable,' he said. This is a moment of profound pain for the nation. Muhammad Yunus The usually bustling school was eerily quiet on Tuesday morning, with classes cancelled. 'Along with the children, the school has lost its life,' said teacher Shahadat Hossain, whose son narrowly escaped the crash. 'There are two swings in front of the affected building. During lunch breaks and after school, children play there. Even yesterday, around the time the plane crashed, students were on those swings,' the 45-year-old told AFP. Around 7 000 pupils are enrolled at the school, including Abul Bashar's sixth-grade son whose best friend was killed. 'He came out just two or three minutes before the accident occurred,' said Bashar. 'He couldn't sleep through the night and forced me to bring him to school this morning,' the father added, his son standing in silence. School authorities have collected bags, shoes, and identity cards of children from the site. Pahn Chakma, a senior police officer, said that armed forces personnel are still sweeping the area. 'They will hand over the place to the police later, and we will then collect evidence, including any human remains or belongings of students and others,' Chakma said. Air Force personnel on duty said the remnants of the fighter jet were removed on Monday night, but they are still scouring the site for evidence. 'I don't know how long it will take to return to normalcy, to relieve the children from this trauma,' teacher Hossain said. On Monday night, school authorities held prayers at the campus.
News.com.au
22-07-2025
- General
- News.com.au
Bangladesh mourns as toll from jet crash at school hits 27
Families and teachers gathered Tuesday at a Bangladeshi school where a training fighter jet crashed, killing 25 children and two others in the country's deadliest aviation accident in decades. Most of the victims were pupils who had just been let out of class when the Chinese-made F-7 BJI aircraft slammed into the Milestone School and College on Monday. "So far, 27 people have died. Among them, 25 are children and one is a pilot," said Sayedur Rahman from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, updating an earlier death toll of 20. "Seventy-eight people are being treated in different hospitals," added Rahman, special assistant to the ministry's chief adviser. More than 170 people were injured in the crash, said the military which is investigating the cause. The usually bustling school was eerily quiet on Tuesday morning, with classes cancelled. "Along with the children, the school has lost its life," said teacher Shahadat Hossain, whose son narrowly escaped the crash. "There are two swings in front of the affected building. During lunch breaks and after school, children play there. Even yesterday, around the time the plane crashed, students were on those swings," the 45-year-old told AFP. Around 7,000 pupils are enrolled at the school, including Abul Bashar's sixth-grade son whose best friend was killed. "He came out just two or three minutes before the accident occurred," said Bashar. "He couldn't sleep through the night and forced me to bring him to school this morning," the father added, his son standing in silence. - Children's trauma - School authorities have collected bags, shoes, and identity cards of children from the site. Pahn Chakma, a senior police officer, said that armed forces personnel are still sweeping the area. "They will hand over the place to the police later, and we will then collect evidence, including any human remains or belongings of students and others," Chakma said. Air Force personnel on duty said the remnants of the fighter jet were removed on Monday night, but they are still scouring the site for evidence. "I don't know how long it will take to return to normalcy, to relieve the children from this trauma," teacher Hossain said. On Monday night, school authorities held prayers at the campus. Bangladesh's interim leader Muhammad Yunus expressed "deep grief and sorrow" over the incident and declared a day of national mourning. "The loss suffered by the Air Force, the students, parents, teachers, and staff of Milestone School and College, as well as others affected by this accident, is irreparable," he said. "This is a moment of profound pain for the nation." The military said the pilot, flight lieutenant Towkir Islam, was on a routine training mission when the jet "reportedly encountered a mechanical failure". He tried to divert the aircraft away from densely populated areas but, "despite his best efforts", crashed into the two-storey school building, the military said Monday.
CNA
22-07-2025
- General
- CNA
Death toll in Bangladesh fighter jet crash rises to 27
DHAKA: At least 27 people, mostly children, were killed after a Bangladeshi fighter jet crashed into a school in the capital Dhaka, a government official said on Tuesday (Jul 22), updating an earlier toll of at least 20 dead. Most of the victims were schoolchildren who had just been let out of class when the Chinese-made F-7 BJI aircraft slammed into the Milestone School and College on Monday. The crash, which is the country's deadliest aviation accident in decades, also left more than 170 people injured. "So far, 27 people have died. Among them, 25 are children and one is a pilot," Sayedur Rahman, special assistant to the chief adviser for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, said. "Seventy-eight people are being treated in different hospitals," Rahman added. The Bangladesh military on Monday had said the pilot, flight lieutenant Towkir Islam, was on a routine training mission when the jet "reportedly encountered a mechanical failure". "The exact cause remains under investigation," it said in a statement. The pilot tried to divert the aircraft away from densely populated areas but, "despite his best efforts", crashed into the two-storey school building, the military added. The interim government of Muhammad Yunus declared that Tuesday would be a day of national mourning. Yunus expressed "deep grief and sorrow" over the incident in a post on X. "The loss suffered by the Air Force, the students, parents, teachers, and staff of Milestone School and College, as well as others affected by this accident, is irreparable," he said.
France 24
22-07-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Death toll in Bangladesh fighter jet crash into a school rises to 27
At least 27 people, mostly children, were killed after a Bangladeshi fighter jet crashed into a school in the capital Dhaka, a government official said Tuesday, updating an earlier toll of at least 20 dead. Most of the victims were schoolchildren who had just been let out of class when the Chinese-made F-7 BJI aircraft slammed into the Milestone School and College on Monday. The crash, which is the country's deadliest aviation accident in decades, also left more than 170 people injured. "So far, 27 people have died. Among them, 25 are children and one is a pilot," Sayedur Rahman, special assistant to the chief adviser for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, said. "Seventy-eight people are being treated in different hospitals," Rahman added. The Bangladesh military on Monday had said the pilot, flight lieutenant Towkir Islam, was on a routine training mission when the jet "reportedly encountered a mechanical failure". "The exact cause remains under investigation," it said in a statement. The pilot tried to divert the aircraft away from densely populated areas but, "despite his best efforts", crashed into the two-storey school building, the military added. The interim government of Muhammad Yunus declared that Tuesday would be a day of national mourning. Yunus expressed "deep grief and sorrow" over the incident in a post on X. "The loss suffered by the Air Force, the students, parents, teachers, and staff of Milestone School and College, as well as others affected by this accident, is irreparable," he said. "This is a moment of profound pain for the nation."
Japan Times
22-07-2025
- General
- Japan Times
At least 20 killed as Bangladesh fighter jet crashes into school
A Bangladeshi fighter jet crashed into a school in the capital Dhaka on Monday, killing at least 20 people and injuring more than 170 in the country's deadliest aviation accident in decades. Many of the victims were young students who had just been let out of class when a Chinese-made F-7 BJI aircraft slammed into the Milestone School and College. An AFP photographer at the scene saw fire and rescue officials taking away the injured students on stretchers, while army personnel helped clear the mangled wreckage. A military statement said 20 people were killed, including the pilot, and 171 others were injured when the jet crashed following a mechanical failure. An 18-year-old student, Shafiur Rahman Shafi, said he heard a huge blast that felt like an earthquake. "There were two fighter planes ... Suddenly one of the two planes crashed here (in the junior playground)," he said. "It created a boom, and it felt like a quake. Then, it caught fire," he added. The well-known private school offers education to children from kindergarten through to senior secondary. Most of the injured were age between 8 and 14, said Mohammad Maruf Islam, joint director of Dhaka's National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute where many victims were treated. Grieving relatives of the victims thronged the hospital, while dozens of volunteers lined up to donate blood. Tofazzal Hossain, 30, broke down in tears on learning that his young cousin had been killed. "We frantically searched for my cousin in different hospitals," Hossain said. "He was an eighth grader at the school. Finally, we found his body." Mohammad Sayedur Rahman, a Health and Family Welfare official, said at least seven bodies remained unidentified. The military said the pilot, flight lieutenant Towkir Islam, was on a routine training mission when the jet "reportedly encountered a mechanical failure." "The exact cause remains under investigation," it said in a statement. The pilot tried to divert the aircraft away from densely populated areas but, "despite his best efforts," crashed into the two-story school building, the military added. It was Towkir's first solo flight, his uncle Motakabbir said. "His mother was nervous yet happy and had been eagerly waiting for the completion of her son's first solo flight," said Motakabbir, who uses only one name. Shuvra Ghosh, the aunt of one of the injured students, said her 8-year-old niece was rescued by a teacher who broke open a window to bring her out. "We are mentally traumatized," she said. The interim government of Muhammad Yunus announced a day of national mourning on Tuesday. Yunus expressed "deep grief and sorrow" over the incident in a post on X. "The loss suffered by the Air Force, the students, parents, teachers, and staff of Milestone School and College, as well as others affected by this accident, is irreparable," he said. "This is a moment of profound pain for the nation." The crash was the worst aviation accident in the country in several decades. The deadliest ever disaster happened in 1984 when a plane flying from Chattogram to Dhaka crashed, killing all 49 on board. Last month, a commercial aircraft crashed in neighboring India, killing 260 people. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was "deeply shocked and saddened at the loss of lives" in Dhaka. Relations between the neighbors have been strained since protesters in Bangladesh last year ousted leader Sheikh Hasina, an old ally of New Delhi. "India stands in solidarity with Bangladesh and is ready to extend all possible support and assistance," Modi wrote on X.
