
‘Fire and smoke’: Witnesses share terror of seeing military plane crash into college, killing 19
‘One father sprinted with his daughter cradled in his arms’
Witnesses have spoken out about watching the horrific moment a military plane crashed into a college campus in Bangladesh. It’s been confirmed today an Air Force F-7 BGI training aircraft crashed into the canteen of the college, leaving dozens injured and 19 dead. However, the total number of fatalities and injured people has been growing throughout the day.
The plane hit the campus of Milestone School and College in Uttara, in the northern area of the capital Dhaka. It had taken off at 1.06pm local time, and crashed around 12 minutes later.
According to reports, more than 150 have been injured. Those injured have been taken to a military hospital in the area. It has been reported the majority of the injuries have been sustained by students at the college, and are burn-related. The pilot is reported to be among those who have lost their lives.

via MONIRUL ALAM/EPA/Shutterstock
A military spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Sami Ud Dowla Chowdhury, said: “The pilot made a valiant attempt to divert the aircraft away from densely populated areas. Despite his best efforts, the aircraft crashed into a two-storey building belonging to Milestone School and College.”
‘I only saw fire and smoke’
According to New York Post, during the aftermath of the crash local residents and rescuers “carried wounded students on their laps, while worried parents ran frantically.” It reported that one father sprinted with his daughter cradled in his arms. A mother cried out, having found her younger child, but desperately searching for her elder.

via Mamunur Rashid/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
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Witnesses have since shared their accounts. A spokesman for the college is reported to have said: “The plane fell on the gate and crashed nearby while a class was in session.”
A teacher at the college, Rezaul Islam, told BBC Bangla that he saw the plane “directly” hit the building. A student said he saw the plane hit the building “right in front of my eyes”.
Masud Tarik, a teacher at the school, told Reuters: “When I was picking [up] my kids and went to the gate, I realised something came from behind … I heard an explosion. When I looked back, I only saw fire and smoke. There were many guardians and kids here.”

via Mamunur Rashid/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
The cause of the crash is not yet known.
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