Plane Crashes Into Bangladesh School, Killing at Least 16 as Fire Engulfs Campus

Plane crashes into Bangladesh school leaving at least 16 dead as campus engulfed in flames
Plane Crashes Into Bangladesh School, Killing at Least 16 as Fire Engulfs Campus

At least 16 people have died after a military training aircraft crashed into a school campus in Bangladesh.

The Bangladesh Air Force F-7 BGI aircraft plunged into Milestone School and College in northern Dhaka. So far, the pilot has been identified as being among the dead. It has been reported that most of the people who have been injured are students suffering from burns.

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Officials confirmed that students were in the middle of taking exams and regular classes when the tragedy took place on Monday. Horrifying images showed a huge fire erupt from the crashed plane.

One video showed people running away from the scene as others watched on in horror. Saidur Rahman, a National Burn Institute official, shared the devastating death count had climbed to 16 within a few hours, according to Bangladesh’s leading English daily, The Daily Star.

Bengali-language Prothom Alo daily confirmed at least 20 people had been taken to a hospital. Parents and relatives attended the scene as rescuers, using rickshaws or whatever was available, transported the injured.

Rafiqa Taha, a student at the school who was not present at the time of the crash, told The Associated Press by phone that Milestone School and College, with some 2,000 students, runs classes from elementary to 12th grade.

On Monday, she said, some students were taking tests while others attended regular classes. “I was terrified watching videos on TV,” said the 16-year-old student. “My God. It’s my school.”

The Bangladesh Army’s public relations office confirmed in a brief statement that the downed F-7 BGI aircraft belonged to the Air Force.