At least 19 people lost their lives and 164 were injured when a Bangladesh air force training jet crashed into a college and school campus in the capital Dhaka on Monday.
The F-7 BGI jet, which took off from the Bangladesh Air Force base in Kurmitola, Dhaka, experienced a technical problem shortly after take-off, leading to the tragic incident.
Pilot’s Heroic Effort in Vain
The pilot of the ill-fated jet made a valiant attempt to divert the aircraft away from densely populated areas, but unfortunately, the plane crashed into a two-story building belonging to Milestone School and College.
The pilot was among those killed in the incident, and a committee has been formed to investigate the cause of the crash.
Aftermath of the Crash
Footage of the crash site showed a massive fire with a thick plume of smoke rising into the sky, as crowds watched from a distance.
Firefighters sprayed water on the mangled remains of the plane, which had rammed into the side of a building, damaging iron grills and creating a gaping hole in the structure.
Images from the scene also showed people screaming and crying as others tried to comfort them.
A teacher at the school, Masud Tarik, described the moment of impact, saying, “When I was picking up my kids and went to the gate, I realised something came from behind… I heard an explosion.
When I looked back, I only saw fire and smoke.”