Fighter jet crashes into school, 100 people injured

A Bangladesh Air Force jet crashed into a college campus in the capital of Dhaka on Monday, killing 19 people. The crash marks the deadliest aviation incident in Bangladesh since the 1984 crash of a plane traveling from Chattogram to Dhaka killed all 49 people on board.

The crash at Milestone School and College campus, in the Diabari neighborhood of northern Dhaka, has reportedly injured more than 100 people. At least 83 of those survivors – mostly students – were being treated in hospitals in the capital, some “in critical condition,” a spokesperson for the country’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus added.

The BAF F7 jet hit the campus around 1:18 p.m. local time and had taken off, according to state media BSS News, citing a Fire Service and Civil Defense official. The plane’s pilot was among those killed, The Associated Press reported, citing regional officials. Emergency crews could be seen trying to extinguish the plane, which had crashed into the side of the building, as a horde of people rushed towards the crash site.

“I express my deep grief and sorrow over the tragic incident of casualties caused by the crash,” Yunus wrote in a post on X.

“This is a moment of profound pain for the nation. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured and direct all concerned authorities, including hospitals, to address the situation with the utmost priority,” the interim leader added.

Eyewitnesses, including the parents of students, recalled huge plumes of ash rising over the school – after a banging sound rang out following the deadly crash.

“When I was picking (up) my kids and went to the gate, I realized something came from behind,” Masud Tarik, also a teacher at the school, told Reuters. “I heard an explosion. When I looked back, I only saw fire and smoke.”

Others watched the chaotic aftermath unfold on TV. “I was terrified watching videos,” Rafiqa Taha, a student at the facility, told The Associated Press.

“My God! It’s my school,” added the 16-year-old.

Milestone School and College currently enrolls more than 6,000 students, ranging from the age of four to 18.

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Yunus said the government is taking all “necessary measures” in the aftermath of the crash.

He posted on his X account that the bodies of those who can be identified will be returned to their families as soon as possible.

Those whose identities cannot be immediately confirmed will undergo DNA testing, after which their remains will also be released to their families.