Dhaka: At least one person was killed and four others sustained injuries after a Bangladesh Air Force’s fighter jet on Monday (July 21) crashed onto a school campus in Dhaka’s northern Uttara area.
The aircraft crashed on a campus of the Milestone School and College in Dhaka’s Uttara area, where students were reportedly present at the time of the crash. The crash happened when classes were underway.
Thick plumes of smoke were seen rising from the crash site as emergency services rushed to the scene.
The Chinese-made Air Force F-7 fighter jet went down shortly after takeoff at approximately 1:06 PM, crashing into the college premises in the Diabari locality.
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.
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, while others were taken to nearby hospitals.
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Confirming the crash, the Bangladesh Army’s public relations office issued a brief statement saying that the downed F-7 BGI aircraft belonged to the Air Force.
According to fire official Lima Khan, one person was killed and four others were injured.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus said the government would investigate the cause of the accident and ensure all forms of assistance.
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 Beijing.
