At least 20 killed as Air Force jet crashes into Milestone College campus in Uttara

At least 20 people have died, including the pilot of the aircraft, as Air Force jet crashes into Milestone College campus, according to Inter-Services Public Relations. 

The aircraft took off at 1:06pm, according to Inter-Services Public Relation. 

A senior official at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport also confirmed the incident but did not provide immediate details regarding casualties or the cause of the crash.

On information, members of Bangladesh Army and eight engines of Fire Service and Civil Defence rushed to the spot and started rescue operations

More than 30 people were admitted to National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, said its director Md Nasiruddin.

"We have 30 beds at emergency department. We are sending some of the injured to other department as all the beds at emergency department became occupied already," he said.

Two more injured were rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital's burn unit, said Resident Surgeon Harunur Rashid.  

Besides, a total of 18 injured were taken to Lubana General Hospital, a duty doctor of the hospital told Ekhon TV at 3:00pm.

"We have sent 12 to burn institute. Condition of four to five stated to be critical," he said.

Chief of Army Staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman was seen at the spot around 3:10pm, our reporter said from the spot.

The aircraft crashed inside the Milestone College compound in Uttara 17 around 1:30pm, a student said.

An eyewitness, Saadman Rhuhsin, who works at Friendship & Cooperation Recruitment — an office located near the school — said the jet crashed into the school building.

"Members of the army and fire service rushed to the spot and moved students and guardians to a safe place," he said.

People present there said the army personnel were seen rescuing the injured students in their arms to the rickshaw vans and other vehicles. 

A physics teacher of Milestone College told The Daily Star that he was standing near the 10-storey college building when the aircraft hit the campus. Shortly after 1:00pm, the plane crashed into the front side of the adjacent three-storey school building, trapping several students, he said.

The college teachers and staff rushed to rescue the students. Members of the army arrived shortly afterwards, followed by firefighters who joined the rescue operation.

The teacher said he himself carried out at least one injured student of the building and also saw several other students and a female teacher with severe burn injuries.