A Bangladesh Air Force training aircraft crashed into the campus of Milestone School and College in Dhaka’s Uttara neighborhood on Monday afternoon, killing many people, according to the Associated Press.
The pilot is among the dead, though further details about the fatalities were not immediately available.
Military authorities stated that the Chinese-made F-7 BGI jet went down shortly after takeoff, striking the school as students were attending classes. Local media reported that most of injured ones were students.
Rescue operations began immediately, with many individuals, mostly students, pulled from the scene by helicopters, ambulances, rickshaws and in the arms of firefighters and parents. Many of the rescued suffered burn injuries. Doctors reported late Monday that the condition of several of the injured remained critical.
By Tuesday morning, authorities said several victims had died from their injuries overnight. Many people, primarily students, remained hospitalized, most at a specialized burn treatment facility. A blood donation camp has been set up at the hospital to support ongoing treatment efforts.
Some of the bodies recovered from the crash site were severely charred and may require DNA testing for identification. So far, more than 20 bodies have been returned to their families.
Among the deceased was Maherin Chowdhury, a teacher who reportedly rescued more than 20 students before succumbing to her injuries. “She died from severe burn injuries,” her colleague Tanzina Tanu said.
This marks the deadliest plane crash in Dhaka in recent memory. In 2008, another F-7 training jet crashed outside the city, killing its pilot after he ejected due to a technical issue.
Shongjog 