Dhaka: Another child succumbed to burn injuries at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery (NIBPS), raising the death toll to 33 from Monday's fighter jet crash at Milestone School and College in the capital's Uttara. A 13-year-old boy, Makin, breathed his last at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital around 1:05pm today.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, earlier in the day, Tasmin Afroz Ayman, a 10-year-old fourth-grade student of Milestone School and College, succumbed to her burn injuries at the Female High Dependency Unit (FHDU) of the institute around 9:30am. Residential Surgeon Shawon Bin Rahman stated that Ayman died with 45 percent burn injuries, while Makin sustained 70 percent burns.
The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) reported that the death toll in the aircraft crash stands at 33. Of these, 15 have died at NIBPS, one at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), 15 at Combined Military Hospital (CMH), and one at Shaheed Monsur Ali Medical College Hospital.
Tragically, on Thursday, Mahia, aged 15, died around 4:30pm, and 12-year-old Mahatab passed away at 1:50pm at the burn institute. Currently, fifty people with burn injuries are receiving treatment at various hospitals across the capital. The burn institute is treating 40 individuals, including five with critical injuries, in consultation with foreign medical teams.
The identities of two out of the 32 deceased have yet to be confirmed. The DNA Forensic Lab of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is working to ascertain their identities through DNA testing. On Thursday, CID confirmed the identities of five female children through testing 11 DNA samples.
The tragic incident occurred on Monday when an FT-7 fighter jet of the Bangladesh Air Force crashed into a two-storey building of Milestone School and College at Uttara shortly after taking off around 1pm due to a mechanical fault. The pilot, Flight Lieutenant Towkir Islam, also lost his life in the crash.