At least 31 people have been killed in the crash of a Bangladesh air force jet into a private school campus in Dhaka. It is the deadliest airplane crash in the Bangladeshi capital in recent memory. In 2008, another F-7 air force training jet crashed outside Dhaka, killing its pilot, who had ejected after he […]
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What to know about the Bangladesh air force jet crash into a Dhaka school
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At least 31 people have been killed in the crash of a Bangladesh air force jet into a private school campus in Dhaka.
It is the deadliest airplane crash in the Bangladeshi capital in recent memory. In 2008, another F-7 air force training jet crashed outside Dhaka, killing its pilot, who had ejected after he discovered a technical problem.
While details are still emerging, here’s what is known:
The F-7 BGI jet, a variant of a Chinese fighter, crashed Monday into the campus of the Milestone School and College in the Uttara neighborhood.
The pilot was among the dead, according to the military and a fire official, and 171 people, mostly students, were injured.
On Tuesday, 78 people remained hospitalized.
Officials described the plane as a training aircraft. The military said the jet took off from Bangladesh Air Force Base A.K. Khandaker in the 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 is a school with some 2,000 students. It describes itself as having more than two decades of experience and has a focus on extracurricular activities, career counseling and “global opportunities.”
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 Uttara neighborhood is in northern Dhaka, a metropolitan area of more than 20 million people.
Officials said at least 25 students died.
Maherin Chowdhury, a teacher who rescued more than 20 students from the burning school, died from severe burns, colleague Tanzina Tanu said.
Local media reported that many of the more than 160 injured were students who were on campus for classes.
Hundreds of students protested near the site of the crash, demanding accountability, compensation for victims’ families and an immediate halt to the use of “outdated and unsafe” training aircraft by the Bangladesh air force. They also demanded “accurate” publication of identities of the dead and injured.
Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus pledged an investigation, expressing his deep sorrow over the “heartbreaking accident.”
The government announced a day of mourning Tuesday.
Neighboring India’s 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.”