A devastating tragedy unfolded in Dhaka on Monday when a Bangladesh Air Force jet crashed into a school and college campus, leaving at least 27 people dead, 25 of them children. Authorities confirmed the aircraft, an F-7 BGI fighter jet, went down shortly after taking off from the Kurmitola airbase on a routine training mission.
The jet took off at 1:06 p.m. (07:06 GMT) but quickly experienced a mechanical failure, according to the military. The crash set off a massive blaze, engulfing parts of the educational complex and leaving behind scorched buildings and chaos.
Rescue workers were seen combing through the destroyed structures for debris while frantic families crowded around the crash site, desperate for information about what really happened. Sayedur Rahman, special assistant to the chief adviser on health, explained to reporters that a total of 27 people had lost their lives in this tragic incidence. Among them were 25 schoolchildren, a teacher, and the pilot who handled the plane. He added that 88 others had been hospitalized with severe burn injuries, following the devastating incidence.
In response, the government has declared a national day of mourning. Flags were lowered to half-mast, and special prayers were held across all religious institutions.
The F-7 BGI is the most advanced and final variant of China’s Chengdu J-7/F-7 fighter jet series. Bangladesh had signed a deal for 16 of these jets back in 2011, with all deliveries completed by 2013, according to Jane’s Information Group.
This heartbreaking incident comes as India is still reeling from its own aviation disaster, the worst in a decade, when an Air India plane crashed into a medical college hostel in Ahmedabad last month, killing 241 of the 242 people on board and 19 people on the ground.
