A Bangladesh Air Drive coaching plane crashed into a college in Dhaka, the capital, shortly after takeoff on Monday afternoon, catching fireplace and killing the pilot and a minimum of 19 different individuals, most of whom had been college students, officers stated.
One other 171 college students had been rescued with accidents from a smoldering two-story constructing, officers stated, together with many with burns who had been whisked away in helicopters, motorized rickshaws and the arms of firefighters and oldsters.
The Chinese language-made F-7 BGI coaching plane skilled a “technical malfunction” moments after takeoff at 1:06 p.m. native time, and the pilot tried to divert the airplane to a much less populated space earlier than crashing into the campus of Milestone College and Faculty, in accordance with an announcement from the navy.
College students stated the college’s buildings trembled violently, adopted by a giant explosion that despatched them operating for security. A determined scene quickly unfolded on the crash website, as panicked family looked for family members. Screams crammed the air at a close-by hospital.
The Milestone faculty is in Dhaka’s Uttara neighborhood, which is roughly 11 kilometers (7 miles) drive from the A.Ok. Khandaker air pressure base. The varsity is in a densely populated space close to a metro station and quite a few retailers and houses.
Get breaking Nationwide information
For information impacting Canada and world wide, join breaking information alerts delivered on to you once they occur.
The pilot, Flight Lt. Mohammed Toukir Islam, made “each effort to divert the plane away from densely populated areas towards a extra sparsely inhabited location,” the navy stated, including that it will examine the reason for the accident.
It’s the deadliest airplane crash within the Bangladeshi capital in latest reminiscence. In 2008, one other F-7 coaching jet crashed exterior Dhaka, killing its pilot, who had ejected after he found a technical drawback.
The federal government introduced a nationwide day of mourning on Tuesday, with flags to fly at half-staff throughout the nation.
On the crash website Monday afternoon, a father sprinted along with his daughter cradled in his arms. A mom cried out, having discovered her youthful baby, however desperately looked for her older one.
One other father described his feeling of helplessness whereas ready to be taught the destiny of his daughter.
“The airplane crashed on the constructing the place my daughter was. My spouse referred to as me, however I used to be praying so I couldn’t choose up,” Jewel, who goes by one title, stated on the scene. “Once I got here right here I noticed there was an enormous fireplace. There was a lifeless physique of a kid.”
Fortunately, his daughter was secure, he stated, however he noticed many different kids affected by burns.
College students additionally scrambled to see what had occurred. “We fought with the gang and the troopers to get near the crash website in our faculty,” stated Estiak Elahi Khan, who’s within the eleventh grade. “What I noticed I can’t describe that … that’s horrible.”
Medical doctors at Uttara Adhunik Hospital stated greater than 60 college students, many between the ages of 12 and 16, had been transferred to a particular hospital for burn victims.
By Monday night, rescuers continued to scour the particles, trying to find our bodies. A crane was getting used to take away particles.
Bangladesh’s interim chief, Muhammad Yunus, additionally pledged an investigation, and he expressed his deep sorrow over the “heartbreaking accident.” He referred to as it “a second of deep nationwide grief.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi additionally expressed shock and unhappiness. “Our hearts exit to the bereaved households,” Modi stated in a submit on X. “India stands in solidarity with Bangladesh and is able to lengthen all potential help and help.”
Rafiqa Taha, a pupil who was not current on the time of the crash, stated by telephone that the college, with some 2,000 college students, gives courses from elementary grades by means of highschool.
“I used to be terrified watching movies on TV,” the 16-year-old stated. “My God! It’s my faculty.”
© 2025 The Canadian Press
