At least 20 people have been killed and nearly 200 injured, many of them children, after a Bangladeshi fighter jet crashed into a school in Dhaka during a routine training exercise. The incident, which occurred on Monday, is the country's worst aviation disaster in decades.
The Chinese-made F-7BGI jet struck the private Milestone school in the Uttara neighbourhood as students were finishing afternoon classes. Witnesses reported that the plane hit a five-storey academic building before crashing into a two-storey structure, causing a massive explosion and fire. The Bangladeshi air force confirmed that the jet experienced a mechanical failure shortly after takeoff at 1.06 pm.
Flight Lieutenant Md Towkir Islam, the pilot, is among the dead. A teacher at the school, Mizanur Rahman, said he believed the pilot attempted to steer the plane away from crowded areas, aiming for an open field but failing to reach it. Secondary-age student Ahmed described hearing a deafening noise and seeing the plane hit the building, with flames engulfing younger students.
Bangladesh's Inter-Services Public Relations announced that a high-level investigation committee has been formed. The interim government led by Muhammad Yunus has declared a day of national mourning on Tuesday, with the national flag flown at half-mast. Yunus expressed deep grief, stating that the loss suffered by the air force, students, parents, teachers, and staff is irreparable.
