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First Post
6 days ago
- General
- First Post
National mourning in Bangladesh after China-made fighter jet crashed leaving 27 dead, 170 injured
A devastating tragedy struck Bangladesh as an Air Force fighter jet crashed into a school in Dhaka, killing 27 people, including 25 children. The crash, which occurred on Monday, prompted the government to declare Tuesday a national day of mourning. read more Members of Bangladesh Airforce investigate on the site, after an air force training aircraft crashed into a building belong to Milestone School and College campus, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, July 22, 2025. Reuters Bangladesh observed a national day of mourning on Tuesday (July 22) after a tragic Air Force jet crash claimed 27 lives, including 25 schoolchildren, in Dhaka—the country's deadliest aviation disaster in decades. The accident occurred on Monday (July 21), when a Chinese-made F-7 BGI fighter jet crashed into the Milestone School and College shortly after students were dismissed for the day. The aircraft, part of the Bangladesh Air Force and operating from the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, was reportedly on a routine training mission when it suffered a mechanical failure. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Health Ministry official Sayedur Rahman confirmed the updated death toll, saying, 'So far, 27 people have died. Among them, 25 are children and one is a pilot.' Over 170 people sustained injuries, with 78 currently being treated in various hospitals. Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos and devastation. Teacher Shahadat Hossain, whose son narrowly escaped the impact, recalled, 'There are two swings in front of the affected building. Even yesterday, around the time the plane crashed, students were on those swings. Along with the children, the school has lost its life.' Muhammad Yunus, chief advisor of Bangladesh's interim government, expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy. Calling the crash an 'irreparable loss,' he wrote on X, 'The loss suffered by the Air Force, the students, parents, teachers, and staff of Milestone School and College is beyond words.' Military officials said the pilot tried to avoid densely populated areas, but the aircraft ultimately slammed into the two-storey school. Investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the failure. This marks the worst air tragedy in Bangladesh since 1984, when a commercial flight from Chattogram to Dhaka crashed, killing all 49 people on board. Classes at the school have been suspended indefinitely as the nation grieves the catastrophic loss of young lives.
News.com.au
6 days ago
- 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.
