logo
Dhaka crash: 'My friend died right in front of me'

Dhaka crash: 'My friend died right in front of me'

BBC News5 days ago
Farhan Hasan had just finished an exam and left the classroom chatting to friends when a Bangladeshi air force training jet crashed into his school campus - killing at least 20 people."The burning plane was hitting the building right in front of my eyes," the Milestone School and College student told BBC Bangla.Footage from the school in a northern suburb of the capital, Dhaka shows a huge fire and thick smoke, after the aircraft slammed into a two-storey building.More than 170 people were injured in the crash.The armed forces said that the F-7 jet had experienced a mechanical fault after taking off for a training exercise just after 13:00 local time (07:00 GMT). The pilot, Flight Lieutenant Md. Taukir Islam, was among those killed.
Farhan, who was speaking to BBC Bangla alongside his uncle and his father, added: "My best friend, the one I was in the exam hall with, he died right in front of my eyes. "In front of my eyes... the plane went right over his head. And many parents were standing inside because the younger kids were coming out since it was the end of the school day... the plane took the parents along with it."A teacher at the college, Rezaul Islam, told the BBC that he saw the plane "directly" hit the building.Another teacher, Masud Tarik, told Reuters that he heard an explosion: "When I looked back, I only saw fire and smoke... There were many guardians and kids here."
Hours after the crash, in a residential area which is quite densely populated, huge crowds gathered with people standing on top of buildings to get a view.As people ran in all directions, ambulances and volunteers worked to find their way to carry the injured and many bodies out of the Milestone School and College.At least 30 ambulances were seen moving people out.One woman seeking information at the scene told the BBC her son had called her right after the crash, but she had not heard from him since.
More than 50 people, including children and adults, were taken to hospital with burns, a doctor at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery said.Many families and relatives of victims were inside the hospital - including Shah Alam, the uncle of a Year 8 boy, Tanvir Ahmed, who died in the crash."My beloved nephew is in the morgue right now," Mr Alam said holding on to his younger brother - Tanvir's father - who was unable to speak.Most of the victims inside the burns hospital are minors - most of them are between the ages of 9 and 14.
Many other members of the public came to the hospital to donate blood; while a number of politicians from the two prominent political parties Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami visited.Bangladesh's health ministry said victims have been admitted across seven hospitals in the Dhaka; while the interim government has announced a day of mourning on Tuesday across the country, when the national flag will be flown at half-mast.The pilot had tried to navigate the jet to a less populated area after the mechanical fault occurred, the armed forces statement said. He had only just taken off from an air force base in the capital.
An investigation committee has been formed to look into the incident, the statement added.Muhammad Yunus, the leader of Bangladesh's interim government, said "necessary measures" would be taken to investigate the cause of the incident and "ensure all kinds of assistance"."This is a moment of deep sorrow for the nation. I wish the injured a speedy recovery and instruct all authorities, including the hospitals concerned, to deal with the situation with utmost importance," he said in a post on social media site X.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Gorleston primary school still assessing extent of fire damage
Gorleston primary school still assessing extent of fire damage

BBC News

time15 hours ago

  • BBC News

Gorleston primary school still assessing extent of fire damage

A primary school that had to be evacuated after fire broke out on the last day of the summer term is still assessing the extent of the from Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service were called to Ormiston Cliff Park Primary Academy in Orde Avenue, Gorleston, at about 13:16 BST on 18 a letter to parents, principal Louise Watkins said pastoral support would be offered to pupils and staff upon the school's return. A fire service spokesperson said: "Our fire investigation has determined accidental cause and that the fire started in the roof." The school, part of Ormiston Academies Trust (OAT), was evacuated with all children accounted for while the fire was brought under control. Over the weekend, parents were able to collect children's belongings and the school said any uncollected items, including bikes and scooters, would be stored securely until the start of the new school year in September. Former pupil Myleene Klass, now an ambassador for the school, shared WOra post of support to her Instagram with a picture of smoke billowing out of the building. She said: "To Cliff Park teachers and pupils, I'm glad you're all safe."I'm told teachers did a phenomenal job of getting you out. I'm sorry your last day of term looked like this, I'm relieved you're all ok. Sending my love." In her letter to parents, Mrs Watkins said the school was still in the early stages of "understanding the impact of Friday's fire".It said: "Despite the challenges we must now navigate, I am confident that the unity and spirit shown will help us return stronger than ever. "None of us could have anticipated the final day of term unfolding as it did. Despite it being managed to the best of our ability, it was of course a very worrying experience for all involved."While our firm ambition and intention is to re-open our provision fully as planned in September... given the extent of the fire, the work required is complex and will take time."It said some less essential parts of the building would need ongoing work from September but that the school would make sure disruption was "minimised". OAT said: "Our aim remains to welcome all pupils back to school as planned in September, ready to learn in a safe and supportive environment."We will continue to keep parents and carers updated over the summer and are doing everything we can to ensure a smooth return." Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.

Too much moose meat was factor in plane crash that killed Alaska lawmaker's husband
Too much moose meat was factor in plane crash that killed Alaska lawmaker's husband

The Guardian

timea day ago

  • The Guardian

Too much moose meat was factor in plane crash that killed Alaska lawmaker's husband

Antlers strapped to a wing and too much moose meat on board caused a small plane crash that killed the husband of then Alaska Democratic congresswoman Mary Peltola in 2023, according to a US national transportation safety board (NTSB) report that was recently released. Though the report doesn't name him, Eugene 'Buzzy' Peltola Jr was the pilot and lone person on the Piper PA-18 plane involved in the deadly wreck, which occurred near St Mary's, Alaska, on 12 September 2023, officials had previously said. Peltola Jr, 57, had taken some hunters to a remote wilderness area where they killed a moose, said the NTSB report published Tuesday. When the crash that ended his life happened, the report said, he was flying alone while carrying enough moose meat to push the plane past 'its maximum certified gross weight' by nearly 120lbs. The doomed pilot had also installed 'an unapproved external load' – in his case, antlers tied to the right wing strut – at the time the plane went down. Peltola Jr ultimately ended 'degraded takeoff performance and flight characteristics', leading to his losing control of the plane, shortly before the fatal wreck, NTSB investigators said. As the NTSB recounted, it was his second trip flying moose meat that day. Peltola and the hunters had loaded an initial batch of meat on the plane that afternoon, and he had uneventfully ferried it to a local airport. He flew back to the hunters about four hours for what was supposed to be a second and final load of moose meat. The group strapped into the rear passenger seat as well as packed it into the airplane's belly pod, 'which did not have tie-down provision', the 16-page NTSB report noted. Peltola Jr then tied moose antlers to the right wing strut, the report said, leaving them 'cupped upward and perpendicular to the direction of flight'. The report said the pilot had weighed the cargo with scales, and it turned out the plane was 117lbs – roughly 6% – over its maximum takeoff weight. Investigators wrote that the hunters watched Peltola Jr as he evidently struggled to take off and were relieved at first to see his plane become airborne, watching it vanish from view behind a ridge. But the plane did not reappear from behind the ridge and 'had crashed just beyond their view in the opposite direction of takeoff,' the NTSB report recounted. Two hunters provided first aid to Peltola Jr, who the NTSB said initially survived the crash. However, he died from his injuries within hours, according to the agency. Peltola Jr was the former Alaska regional director for the Bureau of Indian Affairs. He had also spent more than three decades working for the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and he served as vice-mayor and council member for the city of Bethel, Alaska. Shortly after her husband's death, Mary Peltola's chief of staff at the time, Anton McParland, said in a media statement that Eugene was 'completely devoted' to his family. 'And he simply adored Mary,' McParland's statement said. Peltola became the first Alaska Native in Congress when she won her US House seat in a special election and then retained it in the 2022 midterm elections, twice beating the former governor and Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin. She lost her November 2024 re-election bid to Republican opponent Nick Begich III and is now the senior director of Alaska affairs at the Holland & Hart law firm.

Liverpool's African Caribbean centre officially saved
Liverpool's African Caribbean centre officially saved

BBC News

timea day ago

  • BBC News

Liverpool's African Caribbean centre officially saved

Liverpool's African Caribbean centre will remain in its current location, it has been were raised in February when Liverpool City Council announced plans for a new school to be built on land occupied by the centre on Upper Parliament of the local community and the organisation's trustees launched a campaign to prevent the centre, which has stood since the 1970s, from having to make way for the school and council has now pledged to preserve the building and surrounding land. Earlier this year, tensions rose in a series of meetings discussing plans to build Eden Girls' Leadership Academy, which will provide hundreds of school first 120 pupils of the Star Academies-run school could start in September is huge demand for secondary school places in Liverpool, with the council saying the shortage in supply would be critical in Local Democracy Reporting Service understands talks were held between the African Caribbean centre's trustees and council officials on Wednesday to finalise the revised school plans.A 125-year lease has previously been granted to the Department for Education and Star Academies for the development of the new school on approximately four acres of land around Upper Parliament Street, Mulgrave Street and Selborne Street. However many criticised the local authority for a perceived lack of engagement with the Toxteth community over the future of the leader Liam Robinson said the authority was hopeful the DfE would support the proposals to bring the "long-campaigned for school into the community".He said as the project moved through the planning process there would be further engagement with stakeholders and the wider Park ward councillor Lucille Harvey, campaigned to save the African Caribbean centre."The centre has been at the heart of the L8 community for decades, and its place in people's lives should not be underestimated, so it is great news that it will retain its current site," she said."A new school and a thriving community centre will bring real benefits to the L8 community for many years to come." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store