Singapore doctors to help treat jet crash victims, many will be sent abroad: advisor
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A medical team from Singapore will be coming to Bangladesh to help treat the victims of the Air Force plane crash at Milestone School and College, says M Sakhawat Hussain, advisor to the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
The government will also arrange treatment abroad for as many victims as possible based on doctors’ recommendations, he said.
Sakhawat made the remarks to the media after an inspection of the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery on Tuesday.
“A team has come from Singapore. They will see the patients and, if necessary, they will take them to Singapore by air ambulance,” he said.
“We will do whatever is necessary. We will take as many people abroad as we can, but it will be based on the advice of doctors.”
Addressing the deadly crash at Milestone School, the advisor said aviation disasters can occur for multiple reasons.
“It can be pilot error or technical error. We won't know the reason until the blackbox analysis is conducted.”
Acknowledging the aircraft was quite old, he said: “The frame is old, but the engine inside was updated regularly.”
Sakhawat said many of the victims are hospitalised with burns on a high percentage of their body, which is worrying doctors.
He opined that it is necessary to reconsider whether institutions should receive training to prevent any similar incidents in the future.
On Monday, an F-7 BGI training aircraft of the Air Force crashed onto the Milestone School and College campus during class hours. Many students inside the classrooms suffered fatal burn injuries.
Witnesses said the jet crashed into the school playground and then skidded into a two-storey academic building. The aircraft burst into flames, which quickly engulfed the building.
As classes were ending, many parents were gathered near the building. After the crash, the entrance was blocked, trapping everyone inside.
The death toll from the incident currently stands at 27, including 25 children, while another 78 people remain hospitalised.
In the wake of the tragedy, Bangladesh is observing a day of mourning on Tuesday.