A Bangladesh Air Force training jet crashed into a college and school campus in Dhaka on Tuesday, killing at least 27 people, Reuters reported.
Among the dead were 25 children, a teacher, and the pilot, with a further 88 individuals hospitalised for burn injuries.
The F-7 BGI aircraft experienced a mechanical failure shortly after taking off at 1:06 p.m. (0706 GMT) on Monday from the Kurmitola airbase in the capital during a routine training mission. Visuals from the scene depicted distressed family members gathered around the site as emergency services searched through debris.
Sayedur Rahman, special assistant to the chief adviser on health, provided the casualty figures to reporters. In response to the tragedy, the government announced a day of mourning. Flags will fly at half-mast, and special prayers will be held at all places of worship.
The F-7 BGI involved is recognised as the final and most advanced variant within China’s Chengdu J-7/F-7 aircraft family, according to Jane’s Information Group. Bangladesh had secured a contract for 16 of these aircraft back in 2011, with deliveries concluding by 2013.
This devastating incident occurs while neighbouring India continues to grapple with the aftermath of the world’s worst aviation disaster in a decade. Last month, an Air India plane crashed into a medical college hostel in Ahmedabad, resulting in the deaths of 241 of the 242 people on board and 19 individuals on the ground.
