Pilot tried to take the plane to a less populated area: ISPR

Flight Lieutenant Toukir Islam had tried to take the ill-fated fighter plane to a safer place with a thinly populated area as part of his effort to avoid the accident, said the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Monday.

The Bangladesh Air Force has already formed a high-level committee to investigate the cause behind the accident, it said in a statement floated for the media this afternoon.    

As part of the regular training session, the Bangladesh Air Force F-7 BGI training aircraft took off from the Kurmitola Biman Bandar

The Bangladesh Air Force F-7 BGI training aircraft crashed minutes after it took off from AK Khandaker base at Kurmitola around 1:06 pm due to a technical glitch (to be known after investigation), said the ISPR.

The pilot had hatched every possible effort to avoid the accident, but unfortunately, the aircraft crashed into a two-storey building of Milestone School and College in Diabari area, leaving 19 dead and over 164 injured, it said.

Meanwhile, all the injured have been taken to Dhaka Combined Military Hospital and nearby hospitals by helicopters and ambulances to accelerate their treatment.

The shocked Bangladesh Air Force has been continuing their all-out efforts to ensure better treatment with necessary support.

The Chief of the Bangladesh Air Force and higher officials within the force reached the spot and oversaw the rescue operation.

The Chief of Bangladesh Army Staff, principal staff officer, chief of armed forces, top official within the government, fire service, police, RAB and many others rushed to the spot to expedite the rescue measures, ISPR said.