At least 19 dead after air force jet crashes into Bangladesh school

At least 19 people have died and more than 100 were injured after a Bangladeshi air force training jet crashed into a school campus in the capital, Dhaka.

Footage of the scene at Milestone School and College in the northern suburb of Uttara shows a huge fire and a thick plume of smoke.

The armed forces has confirmed that one of its aircraft was involved and that the pilot was killed in the crash.

More than 50 people, including children and adults, were taken to hospital with burns, a doctor at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery told reporters.

The death toll may still rise, with official sources giving different numbers on how many people have died and were injured.

A teacher at the college, Rezaul Islam, told BBC Bangla that he saw the plane "directly" hit the building.

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

A student said he saw the plane hit the building "right in front of my eyes".

The age range for students attending the school is between four and 18.

A statement from the military said: "Bangladesh Air Force's F-7 BGI training aircraft crashed in Uttara. The aircraft took off at 13:06 (0706 GMT)."

The country's fire service said on social media it had nine units at the scene, along with six ambulances.

Images from the scene show scores of emergency service workers sorting through charred rubble to try and find survivors.

In one photo, fire fighters are carrying a body away from the building.

Members of the public can be also seen standing on top of surrounding buildings, watching on.

Muhammad Yunus, the leader of Bangladesh's interim government, said "necessary measures" would be taken to investigate the cause of the incident and "ensure all kinds of assistance".

"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.

Bangladesh has announced a day of mourning on Tuesday, when the national flag will be flown at half-mast across the country.