At least 19 people were killed and 70 others injured after a training aircraft of the Bangladesh Air Force crashed into a school building in Dhaka on Monday. The China-made F-7 jet crashed into the Milestone School and College building in Dhaka’s Uttara area.

The crash happened when classes were underway. Television footage showed fire and plumes of black smoke billowing from the site of the crash as rescue personnel rushed to carry the injured to six hospitals.

“Bangladesh Air Force’s F-7 BGI training aircraft crashed in Uttara. The aircraft took off at 13:06 (0706 GMT),” the military’s public relations department said in a statement.

Firefighters sprayed water on the mangled remains of the plane, which appeared to have rammed into the side of a building, damaging iron grills and creating a gaping hole in the structure, Reuters reported. Dr Md Sayedur Rahman, Special Assistant Professor for Health to the Chief Advisor, said 48 people were in critical condition.

Visuals showed students, some of them with burn injuries and bleeding profusely, running helter-skelter amid chaos.

“A third-grade student was brought in dead, and three others, aged 12, 14 and 40, were admitted to the hospital,” said Bidhan Sarker, head of the burn unit at the Dhaka Medical College and Hospital, where some victims were taken.

With ambulances not readily available, eyewitnesses said Army personnel rescued the injured students in their arms and took them to hospitals in rickshaw vans and other vehicles.

While the Bangladesh air force confirmed the crash, it did not mention the cause or whether the pilot had ejected.

College teachers and staff carried out the initial rescue efforts before being joined by the army and fire department officials. A teacher said the plane crashed into the front side of a three-storey school building, trapping several students.

The Daily Star reported that over 30 people were admitted to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery. Others were taken to nearby hospitals.

Bangladesh chief adviser Muhammad Yunus said the government would investigate the cause of the accident and ensure all forms of assistance.

“The loss suffered by the Air Force, students, parents, teachers, and staff of Milestone School and College, as well as others, in this accident is irreparable. This is a moment of deep sorrow for the nation,” he said.

Yunus’s advisor Asif Nazrul said they were informed by medical authorities that all necessary preparations for medical treatment were completed. He said doctors would be brought from abroad to treat the injured if necessary.

“We will definitely investigate why the tragic accident happened. We have been informed by the Hospital Authority National Burn Unit that they have completed all the necessary preparations for medical treatment. If necessary, the doctors will take our students who are injured in the burn unit abroad. There will be no shortage in our medical rehabilitation,” Nazrul said.

“We have declared a national day of mourning tomorrow. The flag will be at half-mast and our chief advisor is getting updates. We will all stand by those who are injured and those who are in critical condition. We will take all measures for their treatment,” he added.

This is the second Chinese-made F-7 to have crashed this year. Last month, an F-7 fighter jet of the Myanmar Air Force crashed in the Sagaing region, killing the pilot, raising concerns over the quality of defence equipment produced by China.

Ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed grief over the tragedy and called for comprehensive support and responsible action.

“Today, a tragic incident occurred in the capital’s Uttara area where a plane unexpectedly crashed into the Milestone School building. The plane crash has caused a humanitarian crisis in the affected area and its surroundings,” Hasina, the chief of Awami League, said.

She urged local Awami League leaders, members of affiliated organisations, and residents of the area to come forward with full cooperation to assist with rescue efforts and help relocate people to safety.

She also appealed to everyone to assist in facilitating treatment for the injured, including through blood donation and ensuring access to medical care.

[India Today]