At least 20 people were killed and nearly 200 injured when a Bangladeshi fighter jet crashed into a school in Dhaka on Monday, in the country's worst aviation disaster in decades. The Chinese-made F-7BGI, on a routine training exercise, struck the Milestone school in the Uttara neighbourhood as students were ending afternoon classes, witnesses said.
The jet hit a five-storey academic building before crashing onto a two-storey structure, triggering a massive explosion and fire. The Bangladeshi air force confirmed a mechanical failure shortly after takeoff at 1:06 pm. The pilot, Flt Lt Md Towkir Islam, was among the dead.
A student, Ahmed, described hearing a deafening noise and seeing the plane hit the building. 'Flames engulfed many of the younger students,' he said. Teacher Mizanur Rahman believed the pilot tried to steer away from crowded areas but failed. Many younger pupils were playing outside when the crash occurred.
Bangladesh's Inter-Services Public Relations said a high-level investigation committee has been formed. The interim government declared a day of national mourning on Tuesday, with flags flown at half-mast. Prime Minister Muhammad Yunus expressed 'deep grief and sorrow' over the incident.
