Jet Crash Horror Dhaka School Turns Into Fireball 19 Killed Including ChildrenSource: Reuters

Bangladesh Air Force Fighter Jet Crashes Into Milestone School, Killing 19, Including Students, Teachers, and the Pilot

At least 19 people were killed after a Bangladesh Air Force fighter jet crashed into a school building in Dhaka on Monday afternoon. As per reports published in several media agencies, the mishap claimed the lives of 16 students and two teachers.

The aircraft, an F-7 BGI used for training exercises, slammed into the Milestone School and College campus in the densely populated Uttara neighborhood at around 1:06 pm, during regular class hours.

The pilot, Flight Lieutenant Mohammed Toukir Islam, was also killed in the crash. The aircraft had just departed a few minutes ago on a routine training mission when it lost control and crashed into the side of a school building, causing a huge blaze.

Over 100 individuals, a large percentage of whom were children, were injured, a number of them with serious burns, and taken to nearby hospitals. According to medical authorities, at least eight are in a critical condition.

Classrooms Become Disaster Zones

From eyewitness accounts, the accident happened unexpectedly. “I was waiting at the school gate to pick up my children when there was an explosion,” commented Masud Tarik, a schoolteacher. “I turned around and saw fire and lots of black smoke.”

Video footage from the scene revealed burned-out remains of the plane embedded into a school wall, twisted wreckage strewn all over the lawn, and people screaming as ambulances rolled in. One of the clips featured a badly hurt man, covered in soot, being taken away by onlookers.

Rescue teams and firefighters battled for hours to get the fire under control and look for people trapped under the wreckage.

Government Responds, Investigation Ordered

Bangladesh’s acting Prime Minister Muhammad Yunus was ‘deeply saddened’ by the tragedy and described the loss as ‘irreparable.’ The interim prime minister demanded an immediate investigation into the reason for the crash and assured all necessary aid to the victims and their relatives.

“This is a moment of deep pain for the country,” Yunus wrote in a statement. The Bangladesh Red Crescent Society has also asked people to donate blood and opened an emergency relief campaign.

Emergency Contacts Unveiled

The Prime Minister’s Office unveiled a list of emergency helpline numbers for families who want updates on missing students or hospitalization.

The translated list is as follows:

Emergency Contact Numbers:

Military Rescue Brigade: 0176 9024202

CMH Burn Unit: 0176 9016019

CMH Emergency: 0176 9013311

Milestone School Admin Officer: 0181 4774132

Vice Principal (Milestone School): 0177 1111766

999 (National Helpline): Will direct callers to police and hospital emergency services.

Safety Questions Surface

The accident has reopened the debate on military flight corridors over populous cities. The F-7 BGI, an Indian-built aircraft, has been involved in other accidents in the past that have not been fatal. A comprehensive technical examination of the fleet has now been ordered.

The disaster follows just weeks after an Air India plane crashed into a hostel complex in Ahmedabad, killing 260, 19 of them on the ground. Monday’s crash in Dhaka is the second major aviation accident in South Asia in less than two months.

While rescue operations are ongoing and probes have just started, families all over Dhaka have been grieving over a day when a typical afternoon at school turned into a national tragedy.