Categories: World

Bangladesh air force jet crashes into school campus, killing at least 19

close Video

Fox News Flash top headlines for July 21

Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what’s clicking on Foxnews.com.

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

At least 19 people were killed and 164 injured as a Bangladesh air force training jet crashed into a college and school campus in the capital Dhaka on Monday after experiencing a technical problem shortly after takeoff, a military spokesperson said.

The F-7 BGI jet took off at 1:06 p.m. from the Bangladesh Air Force base in Kurmitola, Dhaka, as part of a routine training mission, but encountered a mechanical failure, said the spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Sami Ud Dowla Chowdhury.

“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-story building belonging to Milestone School and College,” he said.

The pilot was among those killed in the incident, the military said, adding that a committee had been formed to investigate its cause.

ONLY SURVIVOR OF DEADLY AIR INDIA PLANE CRASH SAYS SURVIVAL WAS A ‘MIRACLE’

Firefighters and soldiers work next to the wreckage of an air force training aircraft after it crashed into Milestone College campus, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, July 21, 2025. (Stringer/Reuters)

The F-7 BGI is the final and most advanced variant in China’s Chengdu J-7/F-7 aircraft family, 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 license-built version of the Soviet MiG-21.

Videos of the aftermath of the crash showed a big fire near a lawn emitting a thick plume of smoke into the sky, as crowds watched from a distance.

LONDON-BOUND PLANE CARRYING MORE THAN 200 PEOPLE CRASHES AFTER TAKEOFF IN INDIA

Firefighters and army members carry the body of a victim after an air force training aircraft crashed into Milestone College campus, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on July 21, 2025. (Stringer/Reuters)

Firefighters sprayed water on the mangled remains of the plane, which appeared to have rammed into the side of a building, damaging iron grills and creating a gaping hole in the structure, footage filmed by Reuters showed.

“A third-grade student was brought in dead, and three others, aged 12, 14 and 40, were admitted to the hospital,” said Bidhan Sarker, head of the burn unit at the Dhaka Medical College and Hospital, where some victims were taken.

Images from the scene also showed people screaming and crying as others tried to comfort them.

SMALL PLANE CRASHES IN SAN DIEGO SETTING HOMES AND VEHICLES ON FIRE

An ambulance passes near the wreckage where an air force training aircraft crashed into Milestone College campus, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on July 21, 2025. (Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters)

“When I was picking (up) my kids and went to the gate, I realized something came from behind … I heard an explosion. When I looked back, I only saw fire and smoke,” said Masud Tarik, a teacher at the school.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The incident comes a little over a month after an Air India plane crashed on top of a medical college hostel in neighboring India’s Ahmedabad city, killing 241 of the 242 people on board and 19 on the ground, marking the world’s worst aviation disaster in a decade.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Share

Recent Posts

How to safeguard your credit score in retirement as fraud and identity theft rise among seniors

You've worked hard, saved smart, and now it's time to enjoy your retirement years. But…

39 minutes ago

FBI warns of QR code scam disguised in mystery packages

QR codes that were once seen as a convenient shortcut for checking menus or paying…

20 hours ago

AI meeting notes are recording your private conversations

Artificial intelligence has slipped quietly into our meetings. Zoom, Google Meet and other platforms now…

23 hours ago

How to protect your privacy at hotels

You don't have to be a celebrity to want hotel privacy. Many guests, like Carol…

2 days ago

Get faster Wi-Fi with these simple home fixes

We all know the frustration of slow or unreliable Wi-Fi. Whether it's buffering during a…

2 days ago

Columbia University data breach hits 870,000 people

Columbia University recently confirmed a major cyberattack that compromised personal, financial and health-related information tied…

4 days ago