At least 19 people were killed and 164 were injured when a Bangladeshi Air Force Training Aircraft crashed into a College and School campus in the capital Dhaka on Monday after having a technical problem shortly after taking off, a spokesman said.
The F-7 BGI aircraft took off at 13:06 (0706 Greek time) from the Bangladeshi Air Force base in Kourmitola, Dhaka, as part of an educational routine mission, but faced mechanical damage, said spokesman Saimis.
“The pilot … made a brave attempt to divert the aircraft away from densely populated areas. Despite its efforts, the aircraft crashed into a two -storey building owned by Milestone School and College, “he said.
The pilot was among the dead in the incident, the army said, adding that a committee was set up to investigate its causes.
The F-7 BGI is China’s latest and most advanced variant variant of China’s Chengdu J-7/F-7, according to Jane’s Information Group. Bangladesh signed a contract for 16 aircraft in 2011 and deliveries were completed by 2013.
The Chengdu F-7 is the issue of the Soviet MIG-21 that was built with a license.
Many children among the victims
A video of the crash showed a big fire near a lawn broadcasting a dense cloud of tobacco in the sky, while crowds were watching from a distance.
The firefighters sprayed water in the overturned remnants of the plane, which seemed to hit the side of a building, destroying iron racks and creating a huge hole in the construction, as shown by the plans recorded by Reuters.
“A third grade student was transferred dead and three others, aged 12, 14 and 40, admitted to the hospital.”said Bidan Sarker, head of the Burgers Unit at the Medical College and Dhaka Hospital, where some victims were transferred.
Pictures from the site also showed people screaming and crying as others were trying to comfort them.
“When I was taking my kids and went to the gate, I realized that something came from behind … I heard an explosion. When I looked back, I only saw fire and tobacco »said Masud Tarik, a teacher at school.
The incident comes just over a month after Air India’s crash on a medical school in the neighboring city of Ahmedabad, India, killing 241 of 242 occupants and 19 people on the ground, marking the worst air disaster in the world.
