According to authorities, at least 20 victims were hospitalized in serious condition
SAO PAULO, SP (Folhapress)-A Bangladesh Air Force plane used for training that crashed on Monday (21) at a school in Daca, the capital of the country, killed at least 20 people. According to local authorities, including adults and children, who were hospitalized with burns.
The F-7 BGI fighter took off at 1:06 pm (4:06 GMT) of the Kurmitola Air Base in Daca during a training mission, but had a mechanical failure, according to Lieutenant Colonel Sami UD Dowla Chowdhury.
The aircraft fell shortly after, hitting the Milestone School, located north of the city. The accident caused a large fire. The pilot, Tukir Islam Sagar, is among the victims.
According to authorities, at least 20 victims were hospitalized in serious condition. According to the army, the pilot tried to dodge areas populated by the capital. The Armed Forces reported that a committee was created to investigate the causes of the accident.
Firefighters were fired and launched water on the wreckage of the plane, which crashed into the side of the building. Images displayed by local broadcasters showed a dense column of dark smoke standing from the school lawn, while flames consumed part of the building.
“A third grade student arrived lifeless at the hospital, and three other people, 12, 14 and 40, were hospitalized,” said Bidhan Sarker, head of the Dacaca University Hospital Burning Unit, which received part of the injured.
People shouted and cried while some tried to comfort the survivors. “When I was looking for my children and I arrived at the gate, I realized that something came from behind. I heard an explosion. When I turned, I only saw fire and smoke,” said Masud Tarik school teacher.
Bangladesh’s Head of the interim government, Muhammad Yunus, said he will open an investigation. “The loss suffered by the Air Force and the students, parents, teachers, staff and others involved in this accident is irreparable,” he said.
The government declared national mourning on Tuesday (22). Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was deeply saddened and offered Bangladesh “all the support and help possible.”
The F-7 BGI is the most advanced aircraft in the Chengdu J-7/F-7 family, manufactured in China, according to British security company Jane’s Information Group.
Bangladesh signed a contract for the acquisition of 16 of these aircraft in 2011, and deliveries were completed in 2013. Chengdu F-7 is the licensed version of Soviet MIG-21.
The accident occurred just over a month after the collision against an Air India Boeing 787 residential building, which killed 260 people in the Indian city of Ahmedabad. There was a single survivor.
