A training jet from the Bangladesh Air Force crashed into a school building in Dhaka on Monday, resulting in at least one fatality, as reported by military officials and a fire department representative.

Following the crash, the aircraft ignited, and smoke was visible from a considerable distance. At least eight fire service units were dispatched to the scene to extinguish the fire.

At the time of the incident, children were present at the Milestone School and College. Footage from the crash’s aftermath depicted a large fire near a lawn, producing a thick column of smoke that rose into the sky, while onlookers gathered at a distance.

As per a statement from the Bangladesh Army’s public relations, the F-7 BGI aircraft that crashed was part of the Air Force.

“The training aircraft went down at the Milestone School and College in Diabari. Our team has retrieved one body. The Air Force has rescued four individuals who sustained injuries and transported them away,” bdnews24 quoted Lima Khanam, the duty officer at the Fire Service Central Control Room.

Fire official Lima Khan confirmed via phone that at least one person had died and four others were injured, although she did not disclose additional information.

At least 19 individuals lost their lives and 70 more sustained injuries when a training aircraft belonging to the Bangladesh Air Force collided with a school building in Dhaka on Monday.

Footage depicted students, some suffering from burns and severe bleeding, fleeing in panic amidst the turmoil.

Due to the unavailability of ambulances, witnesses reported that Army personnel carried the injured students in their arms and transported them to hospitals using rickshaw vans and other vehicles.

Although the Bangladesh Air Force acknowledged the crash, it did not provide details regarding the cause or whether the pilot had ejected.

Initial rescue operations were conducted by college teachers and staff before the army and fire department officials arrived. A teacher mentioned that the aircraft struck the front of a three-storey school building, trapping numerous students inside.

According to The Daily Star, over 30 individuals were admitted to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, while others were taken to nearby medical facilities.

Bangladesh’s chief adviser, Muhammad Yunus, stated that the government would investigate the cause of the incident and ensure all necessary assistance. “The loss experienced by the Air Force, students, parents, teachers, and staff of Milestone School and College, along with others affected by this tragedy, is irreparable. This is a moment of profound sorrow for the nation,” he remarked.

This incident marks the second crash of a Chinese-made F-7 this year. Last month, an F-7 fighter jet from the Myanmar Air Force crashed in the Sagaing region, resulting in the pilot’s death and raising concerns about the quality of defense equipment manufactured by Beijing.

This crash occurs just over a month after an Air India plane crashed onto a medical college hostel in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, claiming the lives of 241 of the 242 individuals on board and 19 on the ground.