Children among 20 dead as military jet crashes into Dhaka school

Dhaka, July 22, (dpa/GNA) – The death toll from the crash of a Bangladesh Air Force training jet onto a school in Dhaka, has risen to 20, mostly

children, officials said on Monday, as the country’s leader described it as a day of “profound grief.”

Many others who suffered severe burn injuries were receiving treatment in hospital.

The Chinese-made F-7BGI fighter jet, crashed into the two-storey Milestone School and College, in the north of the capital.

At the time of the crash, many children were still present at the school, which teaches children from elementary up to 12th grade.

The crash occurred, minutes after the plane took off, according to the Bangladesh military’s media division.

It said the pilot of the training aircraft, noticed a technical malfunction soon after it took off from Dhaka’s Kurmitola airbase at 1:06 pm (0706 GMT),

and tried to fly to a thinly populated area.

The army said 20 people were killed, including the pilot, and 171 people were injured.

Sayedur Rahman, an assistant to the head of the interim government, Muhammad Yunus, said many of the injured were taken to the Burn and Plastic Surgery

Institute in Dhaka.

He said more than 100 people were undergoing treatment at different hospitals.

The government announced a day of national mourning on Tuesday, to pay respect to those who died.

Yunus posted a message of condolence on Facebook, expressing his shock over the crash.

“This is a moment of profound grief for the nation,” Yunus said. He wished a speedy recovery for those injured.

The government will take the necessary measures to investigate the cause of the accident, he said.

Khaleda Khatun, an official on duty at the Fire Service and Civil Defence control room, said nine fire engines had been working, to extinguish the fire

at the accident site.

A witness named Pintu, who was at the scene to pick up his child from school, told reporters that he saw the aircraft descend rapidly, before crashing

with a loud bang.

“Soon after the bang, I saw a fireball erupt. I could see nothing but the flames at that moment, and I ran for shelter,” Pintu told private broadcaster

Jamuna TV. He later found his son unharmed at the school compound.

Muhammad Zahed Kamal, head of Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence department, said the ground floor was being used for classes for the third and

fourth graders, while the first floor housed second and fifth graders, he said.

Hundreds of relatives and guardians rushed to the site as soon as they learnt about the accident. Those who failed to find their children then crowded

the nearby hospitals.

Firefighters along with members of the police and armed forces, were still trying to recover the wreckage of the fighter jet.

Leaders from neighbouring India and Pakistan, as well as other countries, mourned the deaths and expressed solidarity with Bangladesh, after the tragic

accident.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said he was shocked and saddened by the loss of lives, many of them young students.

“Our hearts go out to the bereaved families,” Modi said, adding that India stands in solidarity with Bangladesh, and is ready to extend all possible

support and assistance.

Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, offered condolences to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.

The EU delegation in Bangladesh said in a statement, “Our hearts are with the victims, their families, and all those affected.”

The Japanese embassy in Dhaka said: “We stand in solidarity with Bangladesh during this challenging time, commending the efforts of the authorities,

hospitals, and others in handling the situation with the utmost care.”

GNA