Baf Plane Crash: Body parts of 2 pilots recovered

A rescue team yesterday noon recovered the body parts of the two pilots and a part of the wreckage of the plane which crashed into Bukbhora Baor in Jessore Sadar upazila.

While body parts and a portion of the wreckage were found on the second day of the operations, the position of the plane could not be located due to inclement weather, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.  

Jessore Fire Service Assistant director Parimol Kundu said they searched the Baor at night and recovered the body parts.

Parimol said the local navy and fire service had been searching the area since yesterday morning. 

Jessore Kotwali Thana Officer-in-Charge (OC) Abul Bashar Miah said the K-8W training plane, being operated by two pilots -- squadron leaders Sirajul Islam and Enayet Kabir Polash -- took off from Motiur Rahman Air Base in Jessore at around 8:30 pm.

Sometime later, the plane crash landed in the Bukbhora Baor.

ISPR said inclement weather was the cause of the crash. An investigation committee has been formed to probe the incident.

Alamgir Pathan, manager of Jessore Airport, said the pilots lost connection with the control tower sometime after taking off. 

Bashar said police and fire service went to the spot upon information and began the rescue operation at 10:30pm.

It was suspended at around 4:00am on Monday.  The operations resumed after divers of the navy and fire service from Khulna arrived in the morning.

Witness Shyamol Kumar of Chandutia Bazar said he heard a big bang at around 9:00pm and rushed to Bukbhora Baor, which is adjacent to Arichpur Bazar.  From a distance, he could make out a portion of the plane floating in the water.

Nothing was clearly visible due to rain and darkness. The stench of petrol hung heavy in the air, he said.  

Our Jamalpur correspondent reports, Jamalpur locals were shocked at the sudden demise of pilot Enayet Kabir Polash.

Enayet Kabir, 36, son of Dr Shafi Uddin and Rokeya Begum, hailed from Krishnapur village in Doail Union under Sarishabari upazila. He joined the Bangladesh Air Force in 2000 and was commissioned as a flight lieutenant in 2002, said the deceased's maternal uncle Dr Abu Taher.