A Bangladesh Air Force training aircraft crashed into a school in Dhaka, Bangladesh, shortly after taking off on Monday, resulting in the deaths of at least 18 people, including the pilot, and leaving 164 others injured, according to military reports.
Officials stated that the crash involved a Chinese-manufactured F-7 BGI aircraft, which hit Milestone School and College’s campus in the Uttara area during the afternoon as students were present in classrooms.
The military said the jet took off at 1:06 p.m. local time and crashed soon after, catching fire immediately. The cause was not immediately clear.
It is the deadliest airplane crash in the Bangladeshi capital in recent memory.
Reports from local media suggested that the majority of those injured were students. Families rushed into distress at the scene while rescuers utilized tricycle rickshaws and whatever was available to move the injured to nearby hospitals.
Rafiqa Taha, a student who was not present at the time of the crash, told The Associated Press by phone that the school, with some 2,000 students, offers classes from elementary to twelfth grade.
“I was terrified watching videos on TV,” the 16-year-old said. “My God! It’s my school.”
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