18 Dead, 164 Injured
Exact Cause of Accident Under Investigation
A Bangladesh Air Force training aircraft crashed on a school campus, resulting in numerous casualties.
According to AP and other sources on the 21st (local time), an F-7 BGI training aircraft belonging to the Bangladesh Air Force crashed onto the campus of Milestone School and College in the Uttara area, north of the capital Dhaka, during the day. Local fire authorities stated that at least 18 people were killed and 164 were injured in the accident. Most of the injured are reported to be students.
On the 21st (local time), an Air Force training aircraft crashed at a school in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Photo by AP Yonhap News
The Bangladesh military's public relations office issued a statement saying that the Air Force training aircraft, which took off at 1:06 p.m. that day, crashed in the Uttara area. However, the condition of the pilot and whether an emergency escape was attempted have not yet been confirmed, and the exact cause of the accident also remains unknown.
Immediately after the accident, videos showing the school building engulfed in black smoke and flames, as well as people running outside in fear, spread on social media. Rafika Tahira, a student at the school, said, "About 2,000 students are enrolled at the school, and classes are held from elementary through secondary levels," adding, "It was terrifying to watch it on TV."
The F-7 BGI training aircraft involved in the accident is the Bangladesh export version of the J-7, an older fighter jet developed by China in the 1960s based on the technology of the former Soviet MiG-21.
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