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Aircraft accidents

Bangladesh Air Force Training Jet Crashes into School Building, Kills 20 and Injures 171

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

A tragic aviation accident occurred on Monday when a Bangladesh Air Force training jet, an F-7 BGI aircraft manufactured in China, crashed into a two-storey building of Milestone School and College in Dhaka's Uttara area, killing at least 20 people, mostly children, and injuring 171. The pilot, Flight Lieutenant Mohammad Towkir Islam, was killed in the crash. The incident has sent shockwaves across the nation, with the interim government declaring a one-day state mourning on July 22.

Key Takeaways:

  • The crash occurred shortly after takeoff from the Bangladesh Air Force Base AK Khandaker in Kurmitola at 01:06 pm as part of a regular training exercise.
  • The pilot attempted to steer the aircraft away from densely populated areas, but despite his efforts, the aircraft crashed into the school building due to a mechanical fault.
  • A high-level investigation committee has been formed by the Bangladesh Air Force to determine the cause of the accident.
  • The crash has been described as one of the deadliest aviation accidents in Bangladesh in several decades.
  • The interim government has declared a one-day state mourning on July 22, with the national flag flown at half-mast across Bangladesh and its missions abroad.
  • Rescuers, including firefighters, army troops, police, and elite Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), have been working around the clock to evacuate the injured and provide medical assistance.
  • Many of the injured have been treated at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH), Dhaka Medical College Hospital, and the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery (NIBPS).
  • Eight of the injured were in critical condition, according to doctors.

Statistics:

  • 20 people killed, including the pilot
  • 171 injured
  • 19 bodies recovered from the school compound
  • Minimum of 50 critically injured
  • 18 treated at the National Burn Institute
  • 8 critically injured
  • 10 feet was the distance between the plane's crash site and an eyewitness, Fahim Hossain

Sources:

  • The Daily Star
  • Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate (ISPR)
  • Bangladesh Air Force
  • Bangladesh Ministry of Health
  • National Burn Institute
  • Orissa TV

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