A Bangladesh Air Force training jet crashes into a school in Dhaka and kills at least 20

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — A Bangladesh Air Force training aircraft crashed into a school in Dhaka, the capital, shortly after takeoff on Monday afternoon, catching fire and killing the pilot and at least 19 other people, most of whom were students, officials said.

Another 171 students were rescued with injuries from a smoldering two-story building, officials said, including many with burns who were whisked away in helicopters, motorized rickshaws and the arms of firefighters and parents.

The Chinese-made F-7 BGI training aircraft experienced a “technical malfunction” moments after takeoff at 1:06 p.m. local time, and the pilot attempted to divert the plane to a less populated area before crashing into the campus of Milestone School and College, according to a statement from the military.

Students said the school’s buildings trembled violently, followed by a big explosion that sent them running for safety. A desperate scene soon unfolded at the crash site, as panicked relatives searched for loved ones. Screams filled the air at a nearby hospital.

The Milestone school is in Dhaka’s Uttara neighborhood, which is roughly 11 kilometers (7 miles) drive from the A.K. Khandaker air force base. The school is in a densely populated area near a metro station and numerous shops and homes.

The pilot, Flight Lt. Mohammed Toukir Islam, made “every effort to divert the aircraft away from densely populated areas toward a more sparsely inhabited location,” the military said, adding that it would investigate the cause of the accident.

It is the deadliest plane crash in the Bangladeshi capital in recent memory. In 2008, another F-7 training jet crashed outside Dhaka, killing its pilot, who had ejected after he discovered a technical problem.

The government announced a national day of mourning on Tuesday, with flags to fly at half-staff across the country.

At the crash site Monday afternoon, a father sprinted with his daughter cradled in his arms. A mother cried out, having found her younger child, but desperately searched for her older one.

Another father described his feeling of helplessness while waiting to learn the fate of his daughter.

“The plane crashed on the building where my daughter was. My wife called me, but I was praying so I could not pick up," Jewel, who goes by one name, said at the scene. “When I came here I saw there was a huge fire. There was a dead body of a child.”

Luckily, his daughter was safe, he said, but he saw many other children suffering from burns.

Students also scrambled to see what had happened. “We fought with the crowd and the soldiers to get close to the crash site in our school,” said Estiak Elahi Khan, who is in the 11th grade. "What I saw I can't describe that ... that's terrible."

Doctors at Uttara Adhunik Hospital said more than 60 students, many between the ages of 12 and 16, were transferred to a special hospital for burn victims.

By Monday evening, rescuers continued to scour the debris, searching for bodies. A crane was being used to remove debris.

Bangladesh's interim leader, Muhammad Yunus, also pledged an investigation, and he expressed his deep sorrow over the "heartbreaking accident." He called it "a moment of deep national grief."

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed shock and sadness. "Our hearts go out to the bereaved families," Modi said in a post on X. "India stands in solidarity with Bangladesh and is ready to extend all possible support and assistance."

Rafiqa Taha, a student who was not present at the time of the crash, said by phone that the school, with some 2,000 students, offers classes from elementary grades through high school.

“I was terrified watching videos on TV,” the 16-year-old said. “My God! It’s my school.”

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Associated Press videographer Al-emrun Garjon contributed from Dhaka.