Bangladesh Air Force Training Jet Crashes into School in Dhaka, Killing at Least 31

Strategic Insights -

At least 31 people, including three teachers and 25 school pupils, have been killed in one of the worst aviation disasters in Bangladesh's history after a Bangladesh Air Force training jet crashed into a school in Dhaka's Uttara neighborhood. The F-7 BGI aircraft, which experienced a technical malfunction, crashed into the Hyder Ali Hall building at the Milestone school just 12 minutes after takeoff from a nearby military facility. Witnesses described hearing a loud sound and seeing a thick stream of smoke coming out of the building as the fire spread rapidly.

Key Takeaways:

  • At least 31 people have been killed in the crash, including three teachers and 25 school pupils.
  • Mahrein Chowdhury, a 46-year-old school administrator, sustained 80 per cent burns while trying to escort students out of the building but helped take 20 students to safety before succumbing to her injuries in hospital.
  • Two other teachers are known to have succumbed to their burn injuries.
  • The pilot, Flight Lt Mohammed Toukir Islam, made "every effort to divert the aircraft away from densely populated areas toward a more sparsely inhabited location" but died in the crash.
  • The aircraft experienced a "technical malfunction" moments after takeoff from the AK Khandaker air force base.
  • The incident has sparked widespread outrage, with students protesting near the site of the crash demanding transparency over the numbers and identities of the dead and injured, compensation for their families, and an immediate halt to the use of outdated and unsafe training aircraft by the Bangladesh Air Force.
  • The government declared Tuesday a day of mourning, with flags at half-mast and special prayers at all places of worship.
  • The Bangladesh Air Force has launched a formal investigation into the incident.
  • The school is located about 11km from the airforce base in a densely populated area near a metro station and numerous shops and homes.

Statistics:

  • At least 31 people have been killed in the crash.
  • 25 school pupils, most of them under the age of 12, have been reported killed.
  • 3 teachers, including Mahrein Chowdhury, have been killed.
  • 80% of Mahrein Chowdhury's body was burned.
  • 2 dozen people remained in a critical condition out of a total 165 injured.
  • 20 bodies have been handed over to their families, with some needing DNA matching after they were charred beyond recognition.

Sources:

  • Reuters
  • BBC Bangla
  • The Independent
  • AP
  • AFP via Getty Images