F-7 BGI Jet Crash into Milestone School, Dhaka

📰 Major News: F-7 BGI Jet Crash into Milestone School, Dhaka

Date & Time: 21 July 2025, around 1:18 PM BST
Location: Milestone School & College campus, Diabari, Uttara, Dhaka, Bangladesh

A Bangladesh Air Force Chengdu F‑7 BGI trainer jet on routine training departed from BAF Base Bir Uttom A.K. Khandker at 1:06 PM but suffered a mechanical failure, losing control shortly after takeoff The Times of India+15Wikipedia+15BSS+15.
The pilot, Flight Lieutenant Mohammad Towkir Islam Sagar, made heroic efforts to steer the aircraft away from populated areas but was unable to divert the crash entirely BSS+9Wikipedia+9The Daily Star+9.
The jet struck a five-storey academic building and then crashed into a two-storey structure, triggering a massive explosion and fire across the campus

Fatalities: At least 20 people dead, including the pilot and approximately 19 civilians, mostly young students El País+11Wikipedia+11The Daily Star+11.
Injuries: Around 164–171 injured, many with severe burns; at least 60 admitted to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, several in critical condition, including children with up to 95% body burns

Students and teachers described chaotic scenes—flames, smoke, screams, and attempted evacuation as the jet crashed during afternoon classes or break time Omni+15The Guardian+15People.com+15.
One teacher said the pilot tried to divert the jet over open ground before impact; unfortunately, it crashed into classroom buildings

Multiple agencies responded: Fire Service, Army, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), RAB, and medical teams led rescue operations The Daily Star+5BSS+5BSS+5.
A metro train coach was reserved to transport many of the injured from the site to hospitals The Business Standard+8BSS+8Wikipedia+8.
Emergency hotline numbers were launched via the National Burn Institute for relatives to locate missing students and obtain assistance banglanews24.com+3BSS+3Daily Observer+3.
The government mandated free medical care for all crash victims

Interim Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus expressed deep sorrow, calling it an “irreparable loss” and ordered urgent relief and care to victims. He vowed to support investigations and treatment efforts, including sending critically injured abroad if needed The Business StandardBSSBSS.
Bangladesh declared Tuesday, 22 July 2025, a national day of mourning. Flags were flown at half‑mast in government institutions and missions abroad, and special prayers were held nationwide

A high-level Air Force investigation committee has been formed to determine the cause of the crash, initially attributed to a mechanical fault

This is one of the deadliest aviation disasters in Bangladesh’s history, particularly tragic as it involved school children at Milestone College—a campus with several thousand students.
Previous civilian casualties in military crash incidents were far smaller. The pilot’s attempts to minimize casualties, though valiant, were ultimately unsuccessful

Detail	Information
Aircraft	Chengdu F‑7 BGI trainee jet
Crash Time	~1:18 PM BST
Fatalities	~20 (including the pilot)
Injuries	~171 (many children and severe burns)
Pilot	Flt Lt Mohammad Towkir Islam Sagar
Cause	Mechanical failure (under investigation)
Government Response	National mourning, free treatment, investigation
Emergency Response	Fire services, military, medical aid, hotline