At least 16 people have been confirmed dead and more than 100 others injured after a Bangladesh Air Force training jet crashed into a school campus in the capital city of Dhaka on Monday afternoon.
The aircraft, an F-7 BGI fighter trainer, went down at Milestone School and College in the northern suburb of Uttara, setting off a massive fire and sending thick plumes of smoke into the sky.
The Bangladeshi military, in an official statement, confirmed, “Bangladesh Air Force’s F-7 BGI training aircraft crashed in Uttara. The aircraft took off at 13:06 (0706 GMT).”
Emergency crews rushed to the scene, where chaos unfolded as students, teachers, and nearby residents fled for safety. First responders worked to evacuate the injured and contain the blaze.
A doctor at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery said over 50 victims, including both children and adults, were being treated for burn injuries and trauma.
Reacting to the tragedy, Muhammad Yunus, the leader of Bangladesh’s interim government, assured the public of a thorough probe and support for those affected.
“Necessary measures will be taken to investigate the cause of the incident and ensure all kinds of assistance,” Yunus said.
Authorities have sealed off the area, and military investigators are expected to begin their inquiry into the crash immediately.
This is one of the deadliest peacetime military aviation accidents in the country’s recent history. The names of the victims were yet to be released as of the time of filing this report.
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