Dhaka Jet Crash
In a tragic accident on Monday, a Bangladesh Air Force training jet slammed into a school building in the Dhaka neighbourhood of Uttara, killing at least 19 and injuring 164. The accident took place moments after the F-7 BGI aircraft had taken off from a local airbase, military sources said.
The pilot, Flight Lieutenant Towkir Islam Sagar, was originally thought to have perished in the crash but was later verified to be alive and receiving treatment.
"Towkir Islam Sagar, 35 squadron, 76 BAFA course, got injured in the crash and is undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU) of the Combined Military Hospital (CMH)," said Professor Md Sayedur Rahman, a special assistant to the chief adviser of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in a quote published in The Daily Star.
This disaster is the most fatal aircraft crash in the Bangladeshi capital in recent history. The F-7 plane, which is Chinese-made, allegedly departed at 1:06 PM local time and crashed a short while later. Witnesses claim that the plane burst into flames as soon as it crashed into the Milestone School and College building, where students were taking lessons.
Emergency responders moved quickly, and locals assisted in evacuating wounded people. Most of them were ferried to hospitals on tricycle rickshaws and other vehicles, as ambulances were not enough.
Reports from local media said that most of the victims were students. The school, which has a capacity for approximately 2,000 students from elementary to twelfth grade, was full during this time when the accident took place.
"I was so scared viewing videos on television," stated Rafiqa Taha, a 16-year-old student who was not at the school when the crash took place. "My God! It's my school."
Investigation In Progress
The authorities have yet to identify what caused the crash. The military and aviation officials have begun an investigation to establish what caused the deadly accident.
