A Bangladesh Air Force training aircraft crashed into the campus of Milestone School and College in Uttara, a northern suburb of the capital Dhaka, resulting in the deaths of at least 19 people. The crash occurred in the early afternoon on Monday and has left more than 100 injured, many of them students suffering from severe burns.

According to the military’s public relations department, the aircraft involved was an F-7 BGI, which had taken off at 1:06 p.m. local time. The jet went down shortly afterward, crashing into the school premises where students were in classrooms or taking exams. One fire service officer told reporters that the plane came down directly onto the roof of the school canteen.

Video footage from the site showed flames engulfing the crash area and thick black smoke billowing into the sky. Onlookers gathered nearby as emergency responders worked at the scene. Firefighters and medics arrived quickly, with nine fire service units and six ambulances dispatched. The wreckage of the aircraft was seen lodged in the side of a building as fire crews sprayed water to contain the blaze.

Health officials confirmed that at least 50 of the injured had been admitted to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, many with life-threatening injuries. Some of the victims are children. A doctor from the institute said the number of casualties may rise as several of the injured remain in critical condition.

Teachers at the school recounted the horror of the moment. Rezaul Islam, one of the faculty members, said he saw the plane hit the building directly. Another teacher, Masud Tarik, who was at the gate picking up his children, said he first heard an explosion. "When I looked back, I only saw fire and smoke. There were many guardians and kids here,” he told reporters.

Students also witnessed the impact. One recalled seeing the plane strike the school building "right in front of my eyes." Sixteen-year-old Rafiqa Taha, who was not on campus at the time, told the Associated Press: "I was terrified watching videos on TV. My God! It's my school."

The Bangladesh military confirmed the crash and the aircraft type in a public statement. Interim Prime Minister Muhammad Yunus expressed his sorrow over the tragedy, calling it a “moment of deep sorrow for the nation.” He promised a full investigation and pledged government support for the victims and their families. “The loss suffered by the air force, students, parents, teachers and staff is irreparable,” he said, instructing hospitals to treat the injured with the utmost priority.

The cause of the crash remains unknown for now, and officials say all necessary measures will be taken to determine what went wrong.

This disaster comes just over a month after a separate aviation tragedy in neighboring India, where an Air India jet crashed into a medical college in Ahmedabad, killing 241 passengers and crew, along with 19 people on the ground.