A military training jet crashed into a school in Dhaka, Bangladesh on Monday afternoon, killing at least 20 people and injuring more than 170 others, in what has been described as one of the country's worst aviation tragedies in decades.

The F-7 aircraft, operated by the Bangladesh Air Force, went down shortly after taking off from a base in the capital during a training mission.

It reportedly experienced mechanical failure minutes into the flight, slamming into the Milestone School and College in the Uttara suburb at around 1 pm local time.

Flames engulfed the two-storey building upon impact, sending thick black smoke into the sky.

Shocking footage from the scene captured the intensity of the fire and the chaos that followed as rescuers and residents rushed to pull victims from the burning rubble.

The pilot, Flight Lieutenant Md. Taukir Islam, was among those killed. According to a statement from the armed forces, he had tried to steer the malfunctioning jet away from residential areas, but was unable to avoid the school.

The aircraft had only just taken off before it crashed.

Many of the victims were school children who had just finished classes.

Seventeen children were confirmed among the dead, and dozens more were taken to hospital with severe injuries, including critical burns from jet fuel.

A doctor at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery said more than 50 people had been rushed to the hospital, many of them clinging to life. “Most of the injured are between 10 and 15 years old,” a medic at Uttara Adhunik Medical College Hospital reported.

A year 10 student said he had just stepped out of the exam hall when the crash happened. “I saw the plane hit the building right in front of my eyes. My best friend died in front of me,” he said.

Eyewitnesses described a horrifying scene. Rezaul Islam, a teacher at the college, said he saw the jet "directly" strike the school building.

Another teacher, Masud Tarik, told Reuters: "When I looked back, I only saw fire and smoke... There were many guardians and kids here."

Emergency workers spent hours digging through the charred wreckage, hoping to find survivors. Images from the aftermath showed distraught families gathering at the scene and outside hospitals.

Some climbed nearby buildings to watch the rescue operation unfold.

“My beloved nephew is in the morgue right now,” said one man, comforting his younger brother, the boy’s father, who kept asking: “Where is my son?”

Victims were taken to at least seven different hospitals across Dhaka as officials scrambled to manage the high number of casualties.

Volunteers turned up at hospitals to donate blood, while family members desperately sought news of their loved ones.

Authorities have launched an investigation into the crash. The air force confirmed that a special committee has been formed to look into what caused the mechanical failure.

Interim Prime Minister Muhammad Yunus expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, promising full support for victims and a thorough probe.

“This is a moment of deep sorrow for the nation. I wish the injured a speedy recovery and instruct all authorities, including the hospitals concerned, to deal with the situation with utmost importance,” he said in a post on X.

The government has declared Tuesday a national day of mourning, with flags set to fly at half-mast across the country.