(CNN) – A Bangladeshi Air Force jet crashed into a university in the capital Dhaka on Monday, killing at least 19 people in the country’s most deadly air incident in recent memory, according to emergency authorities.
A crash crash at the milestone school and college campus in the Diabari district of northern Dhaka has injured more than 100 other people, according to a spokesman for the country’s interim leader, Muhammad Yunus.
At least 83 of these survivors (mostly students) were treated in hospitals in the capital, but some were “in danger,” the spokesman added.
According to news from state media BSS, the BAF F7 jet appeared on campus around 1:18pm local time (3:18am EST) and cited fire and civil defense officials. The plane’s pilot was among the people killed, the Associated Press reported, citing local officials.
Many people ran towards the crash site. There, we could see emergency crews trying to wipe out the jet’s smoking wreckage.
The government has announced a day of mourning and special prayers, BSS News said.
“I express my deep sadness and sadness at the tragic events of the victims caused by the crash,” Yunus wrote in X’s post.
“This is a deep moment of pain for the nation. I pray that the prompt recovery of all relevant authorities, including the injured and hospitals, will be addressed with a top priority,” the interim leader added.
“I only saw the fire and smoke.”
Witnesses, including the student’s parents, recalled the huge feathers of ashes above the school after the sound of being slapped after a fatal crash.
“When I was picking up a child and went to the gate, I realized something was coming from behind,” Masoud Tarik, a school teacher, told Reuters. “I heard the explosion. When I turned around, I only saw the fire and smoke.”
Others saw the chaotic aftermath unfolding on television. “I was terrified watching the video,” facility student Rafika Taha told The Associated Press.
“My God! That’s my school,” the 16-year-old added.
Milestone College teaches students between the ages of 4 and 18, according to its website.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
