The death toll from Monday’s devastating fighter jet crash in Dhaka, Bangladesh, has risen to 27, officials confirmed Tuesday.
The majority of victims were schoolchildren caught in the tragic incident when a military aircraft slammed into the Milestone School and College.
According to Sayedur Rahman, special assistant to the chief adviser for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, “So far, 27 people have died.
Among them, 25 are children and one is a pilot.” He added that 78 others are currently receiving treatment in various hospitals.
The crash occurred shortly after students had been dismissed from class.
The Chinese-made F-7 BJI fighter jet was on a routine training mission when it went down, making the incident Bangladesh’s deadliest aviation accident in decades. More than 170 people were injured in the disaster.
The Bangladesh military said in a statement that the pilot, Flight Lieutenant Towkir Islam, had “reportedly encountered a mechanical failure.”
Although an investigation is ongoing, the exact cause of the crash has not yet been determined.
In a tragic effort to reduce casualties, the pilot attempted to avoid a densely populated area, but was unable to prevent the crash into the school campus.
As the military stated, the pilot tried to divert the aircraft but, “despite his best efforts,” it “crashed into the two-storey school building.”
In response to the national tragedy, Bangladesh’s interim government declared Tuesday a day of national mourning.
Interim leader Muhammad Yunus offered his condolences in a post on X (formerly Twitter), saying:
“The loss suffered by the Air Force, the students, parents, teachers, and staff of Milestone School and College, as well as others affected by this accident, is irreparable.”
“This is a moment of profound pain for the nation,” Yunus added, expressing “deep grief and sorrow” over the incident.
The catastrophe has left a wave of sorrow and anguish across the country.
Images from the scene showed emergency teams combing through debris while devastated family members gathered at hospitals seeking news of their loved ones.
