In brief
A military training aircraft crash in Dhaka, Bangladesh, resulted in at least 20 fatalities and 171 injuries, many of whom were children, according to officials. The crash occurred around noon yesterday when the Bangladesh Air Force plane went down at Milestone School and College, following what was described as a mechanical failure by military sources.
The incident unfolded just north of Dhaka's international airport and a nearby military base. Witnesses reported that the pilot attempted to navigate the aircraft towards a less populated area in a desperate bid to avoid a catastrophe. However, the plane collided with the second floor of the school, which serves students from elementary through high school. Among the casualties, an aide to Acting Prime Minister Muhammad Yunus noted that approximately 25 individuals sustained critical injuries.Emon Islam, a high school student and nearby eyewitness, recounted the chaos: “I saw the windows of the aircraft shattered, and it was burning up in flames, with black smoke rising into the sky.” The crash has sent shockwaves through the local community as recovery efforts continue at the scene. Grieving families are left to ponder the profound implications of such a tragedy, underscoring the urgent need for stricter safety protocols in military aviation as investigations are underway.
