Latest news with #mechanicalfailure
France 24
22-07-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Death toll in Bangladesh fighter jet crash into a school rises to 27
At least 27 people, mostly children, were killed after a Bangladeshi fighter jet crashed into a school in the capital Dhaka, a government official said Tuesday, updating an earlier toll of at least 20 dead. Most of the victims were schoolchildren who had just been let out of class when the Chinese-made F-7 BJI aircraft slammed into the Milestone School and College on Monday. The crash, which is the country's deadliest aviation accident in decades, also left more than 170 people injured. "So far, 27 people have died. Among them, 25 are children and one is a pilot," Sayedur Rahman, special assistant to the chief adviser for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, said. "Seventy-eight people are being treated in different hospitals," Rahman added. The Bangladesh military on Monday had said the pilot, flight lieutenant Towkir Islam, was on a routine training mission when the jet "reportedly encountered a mechanical failure". "The exact cause remains under investigation," it said in a statement. The pilot tried to divert the aircraft away from densely populated areas but, "despite his best efforts", crashed into the two-storey school building, the military added. The interim government of Muhammad Yunus declared that Tuesday would be a day of national mourning. Yunus expressed "deep grief and sorrow" over the incident in a post on X. "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," he said. "This is a moment of profound pain for the nation."
SBS Australia
22-07-2025
- General
- SBS Australia
Dozens killed or injured as plane crashes into school in Bangladesh
The mood is sombre in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka, where the country's worst aviation disaster in decades has killed at least 20 people. On Monday, a Bangladeshi fighter jet crashed into the Milestone School and College. Many of the victims were young students, let out of class just moments before a mechanical failure caused the plane to collide with the two-storey building. Muhammad Yunus is the Head of Bangladesh's Interim Government. He says everyone must support each other through this tragedy. "I have no words. I don't know how to begin. None of us ever imagined it. It wasn't within anyone's expectations. But we had to suddenly accept this unbelievable reality. We extend our deepest sympathies to the parents, families, and loved ones. Every child in Bangladesh is your child. Please try to find comfort among yourselves. We are all trying to comfort one another. What a tremendous tragedy this is. We are with you. The entire nation stands with you." The Bangladeshi military says that the aircraft, a Chinese-made F-7 BJI aircraft, encountered a mechanical failure. Located north of the city's international airport and military base, the Milestone School and College is a well-known private school that teaches kindergarten through high school. The military says the pilot, who died in the crash, attempted to divert the aircraft away from the densely populated area. Officials say the cause remains under investigation. One student at the school says many were still in class when they heard a huge blast. 'Most of the students were in class — it was probably break time, so a few students were coming out, but the majority were still in class. There was a lady teacher with me who said that the lady teacher in the next room had one side of her face completely burned. Even when I arrived here, there was a teacher with me — the side of his back, his face, and his hands were severely burned. His condition was really bad." As grieving and fearful relatives flowed through the hospitals, dozens lined up to donate blood to the injured. With some bodies yet to be identified, families searched frantically for their relatives. Soldiers at the crash site used megaphones to control the panicked crowds, complicated further by the area's dense population, a nearby train station and surrounding businesses. A father who was looking for his daughter rushed to the school on hearing the news of the crash. "The plane crashed in the building where my daughter was. My wife called me but I was praying so I could not pick up. After finishing payers, I called her and she said crying that a plane has crashed into a building where my daughter's class is. I did not know what to do and then left, and when I came here I saw there was a huge fire. There was a dead body of a child." The father, who went only by Jewel, says he had been looking for about 20 minutes when he got the call. "I could not get any news of my daughter. But after about 20 minutes, she called me and told me that she is fine, don't be tense. My daughter went (from the school) to her friend's home with her mother. In the meantime, I saw many injured (people), skin peeling off the injured." As well as the at least 20 people killed in the crash, more than 170 people were injured, most aged between eight and fourteen years old. Witnesses say the collision caused a major blast, shaking the building before catching fire. Rescued from the smouldering two-storey building, many suffered burns and were taken away in helicopters, motorised rickshaws and the arms of firefighters and parents. Harunur Rashid is a resident surgeon at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital. 'Most of the patients are children. Less than 12 years (old). This is the age group of the patients. Critical patients are also them (children). But one person, her age is 40 years old, she is a servant (staff) of that school, she is also admitted in our hospital.' Just last month, a commercial aircraft crashed in neighbouring India, killing 260 people. Despite strained relations between India and Bangladesh, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi says he is deeply shocked and saddened at the news. In a statement, he writes that India stands in solidarity with Bangladesh and is ready to extend all possible support. The crash was the worst aviation accident in Bangladesh since 1984, when a plane flying to Dhaka crashed and killed all 49 on board. Dr Asif Nazrul, a law advisor in the Interim Government, says tomorrow will be a day of mourning. 'The hospital authorities and the National Burn Unit have informed us that they have completed all the necessary preparations for treatment. Even then, if needed, doctors will be brought in from abroad. If necessary, the students currently in the burn unit will be sent abroad for treatment. There will be no shortage in treatment or rehabilitation. However, no matter what is done, nothing can compensate for the loss we have suffered today. Tomorrow has been declared a day of national mourning, and the national flag will be flown at half-staff.'
Al Bawaba
21-07-2025
- General
- Al Bawaba
Jet crash at Dhaka school leaves 19 dead, over 160 injured
Published July 21st, 2025 - 02:57 GMT The armed forces confirmed that the jet had encountered a mechanical failure just moments after takeoff. The pilot, Flight Lieutenant Md. Taukir Islam, was among those killed. ALBAWABA- Tragedy struck the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka when a military training jet crashed into a school compound on Sunday, killing at least 19 people and injuring more than 160 others, including students and parents. The devastating crash occurred at Milestone School and College in the northern suburb of Uttara, where classes were in session. Dramatic footage from the scene showed flames engulfing a two-story building and plumes of thick smoke rising over the campus. Witnesses described scenes of chaos and panic as the aircraft, an F-7 jet used by the Bangladesh Air Force for training, slammed into the school shortly after 1:00 PM local time. — Northeast Live (@NELiveTV) July 21, 2025 The armed forces confirmed that the jet had encountered a mechanical failure just moments after takeoff. The pilot, Flight Lieutenant Md. Taukir Islam, was among those killed. According to a statement released by the military, he attempted to divert the aircraft away from densely populated areas, but the malfunction left little time for safe maneuvering. Hospitals in Dhaka have been overwhelmed with burn victims, with more than 50 people, including children as young as four, rushed to emergency rooms. Doctors at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery reported that many of the injured are in critical condition. Eyewitnesses painted a grim picture. Rezaul Islam, a teacher at the college, told local media that he saw the plane hit the building 'directly.' Another teacher, Masud Tarik, recounted hearing a loud explosion and seeing flames engulf the area crowded with children and parents. Rescue teams, firefighters, and emergency services rushed to the site and continued searching through the charred rubble for survivors late into the day. Photos from the scene showed rescue workers digging through debris while onlookers gathered on nearby rooftops. An official investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the crash. Interim Prime Minister Muhammad Yunus expressed deep sorrow over the incident and assured that all necessary support would be provided to the victims and their families. 'This is a painful day for our nation,' he said in a statement. 'I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and urge all medical facilities to prioritize the care of the injured.' In honor of those lost, Bangladesh has declared Tuesday a national day of mourning, with the national flag to be flown at half-mast across government buildings and institutions. © 2000 - 2025 Al Bawaba (
The National
21-07-2025
- General
- The National
At least 19 killed as Bangladesh air force jet crashes into college campus
At least 19 people were killed and 164 injured when a Bangladesh Air Force training jet crashed into a college and school campus in the capital Dhaka on Monday. The F-7 BGI jet encountered a mechanical failure shortly after take-off, said Lt Col Sami Ud Dowla Chowdhury. He said it took off shortly after 1pm from the Bangladesh Air Force base in Kurmitola, Dhaka, as part of a routine training mission. "The pilot ... made a valiant attempt to divert the aircraft away from densely populated areas," he said. "Despite his best efforts, the aircraft ... crashed into a two-storey building belonging to Milestone School and College." Video of the aftermath of the crash showed a large fire and thick plume of smoke, as crowds watched from a distance. Firefighters sprayed water on the mangled remains of the plane, which appeared to have rammed into the side of the building, damaging iron grilles and creating a gaping hole in the structure, footage filmed by Reuters showed. The pilot was among those killed, the military said. It said a committee had been set up to investigate the cause. "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 burns unit at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital, where some of the injured were taken. Images from the scene also showed people screaming and crying as others tried to comfort them. "When I was picking up my kids and went to the gate, I realised something came from behind ... I heard an explosion," said Masud Tarik, a teacher at the school. "When I looked back, I only saw fire and smoke." The F-7 BGI is the final and most advanced model in China's Chengdu J-7/F-7 aircraft family, according to Jane's Information Group. Bangladesh signed a contract for 16 of the aircraft in 2011. The Chengdu F-7 is a Chinese adaptation of the Soviet MiG-21. The incident comes a little over a month after an Air India plane crashed into a medical college hostel in Ahmedabad, killing 241 of the 242 people on board and 19 on the ground, making it the world's worst aviation disaster in a decade.
RNZ News
18-07-2025
- General
- RNZ News
Trio rescued from life raft in Pacific Ocean
By Kajal Nair , RNZ A life raft alongside a merchant vessel. Photo: NZDF / supplied Three people are safe after being rescued from a life-raft in the ocean following mechanical failure on their vessel. Their launch was heading from New Zealand to Tonga when it ran into trouble on Thursday afternoon, around 350 nautical miles northeast of New Zealand. A mayday was issued, and the crew activated an emergency beacon before abandoning ship for a life-raft. The distress signal was picked up by a nearby merchant tanker, the only vessel in range. Following this, a New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF) F8 aircraft was deployed to assist. "Getting on-board a large vessel on the open ocean from a life raft is not an easy task," Taylor Monaghan, search and rescue officer at the Rescue Coordination Centre, said. "This was done at night, in trying conditions as well." At about 11pm, the trio were safely brought aboard the tanker. A life raft alongside a merchant vessel. Photo: NZDF / supplied Maritime New Zealand praised the coordinated effort and quick action of both the tanker crew and the NZDF. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
