Tragedies in educational institutions worldwide similar to Milestone incident

The horrific plane crash that took place yesterday at Milestone School and College in Uttara, Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, has already reached the entire world. All international media outlets across the globe have reported the news with utmost importance. Plane crashes are inherently very sensitive news. As soon as people hear about a plane crash, everyone shudders for a moment. The first fear is always about how many were killed or injured.

Everyone knows that when a plane crashes, there is a high risk of death for the pilot, crew, and passengers. In many cases, people on the ground also die. Therefore, news of a plane crash is always very alarming. In such a situation, if someone hears that a plane has crashed onto a school, anyone's heart will tremble. A training aircraft has crashed into a school in Bangladesh, and this news has stunned the world just as it has shocked the people of the country. According to the latest reports, the death toll stands at 31, and 165 are injured and without treatment in various hospitals, many of whom are in critical condition. Up to 90 percent of some people's bodies have been burned. It is feared that the death toll may rise.

Even if all passengers on a plane die in a crash—even two to three hundred—such wailing does not occur as has happened after the plane crash at the school in Bangladesh. The reason is that children like flowers have died here. Children whose school was just about to end, who would have gone home, eaten, slept or played—many of them have now gone to heaven. Some are writhing in hospital beds with burnt bodies. Many parents have gone almost mad after losing their beloved children. The entire country is mourning for those heavenly children, for those bereaved parents. We do not know from which corner of the earth people are crying today for these tender-hearted children of Bangladesh.

From today, the world becomes a witness to this horrific accident. The date July 21, 2025 will be written in tears in the history of aviation disasters. From browsing the internet, it is found that such a terrible plane crash in a school like in Bangladesh has never occurred anywhere in the world. Planes have crashed into or near school grounds or nearby areas, and all the passengers may have died; but school students were not killed to such an extent. Some such incidents found on the internet are:

1. Park Slope plane crash, New York (1960)
December 16, 1960. A snowy winter morning in New York. The TWA flight was coming from Ohio to LaGuardia Airport, and the United flight was coming from Chicago to New York. Due to bad weather, technical faults, and communication failure, the DC-4 aircraft from Chicago deviated from its designated path. As a result, the two planes collided in mid-air. The TWA aircraft crashed in a marine area on Staten Island, and the United aircraft crashed into the Park Slope area of Brooklyn. Near Park Slope was the ‘Holy Name of Jesus Catholic School’ and a church. The wreckage of the crashed aircraft immediately spread to the surrounding residential areas, school premises, and around the church. Fire broke out instantly. Many houses, vehicles, and buildings were damaged. In this accident, 134 people died—among them were passengers and crew members of both aircraft and people on the ground. At the time, many students were playing in the schoolyard. One student died after being struck by parts of the broken aircraft. This incident is considered one of the most terrible events in U.S. aviation history.

2. Cerritos crash, California (1986)
August 31, 1986. Flight 498 from Mexico City, Mexico, was heading toward Los Angeles International Airport. On the other hand, a light private aircraft named Piper Cherokee had taken off from a private airfield. It entered controlled airspace without any permission. A terrible collision occurred between the two aircraft. After the collision, the Mexican aircraft crashed into the residential area of the city of Cerritos. The wreckage of the Piper aircraft also spread in the same area. The crash site was a densely populated area—surrounded by schools, houses, and playgrounds. Fortunately, the debris of the two aircraft did not hit any school directly. However, smoke and wreckage entered the classrooms of nearby schools. Some children were playing outside or looking through windows at that moment. They witnessed the entire incident with their own eyes. Many of them later suffered from trauma. Due to the quick action of the teachers, it was possible to move the students to safety.

In this horrific crash, 82 people died. Among them were all passengers and crew of the two aircraft and several residents of the surrounding residential area. Fortunately, no student was killed; but having witnessed the crash, the amount of trauma they suffered required advanced medical treatment later.
Now think of the students in our country. Those who were the direct victims of this terrible accident. Those who saw their dear friends burn to death in front of their eyes—what will be their condition!

3. PSA Flight 182 crash, San Diego (1978)
On the morning of September 25, 1978, a terrible and heartbreaking plane crash occurred in the sky of San Diego, California, United States. A passenger aircraft of Pacific Southwest Airlines—PSA Flight 182, a Boeing 727 model—collided mid-air with a small training aircraft. Within moments, the large passenger aircraft, engulfed in flames, crashed into the densely populated residential area of San Diego known as North Park.

In this crash, 135 passengers and crew members, two trainees from the small aircraft, and seven local residents on the ground died instantly. Altogether, 144 people lost their lives, which was at the time one of the deadliest aviation disasters in US history.

The area where the aircraft crashed had houses, alleys, parking lots, and schools nearby. Although no school was directly destroyed, heavy smoke entered the classrooms of nearby schools, spreading panic among teachers and students. Many children saw the dreadful scene through windows. Burning wreckage from the sky fell onto the lower houses, spreading fire and destruction all around.

From this accident onward, the United States made drastic changes to its airspace safety system. The Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) was introduced to prevent future mid-air collisions.

A few more such incidents can be found, where planes have crashed into school premises or nearby; but by luck, no more than one student has died in any of them. Therefore, the plane crash at the school in Bangladesh remains, to date, the most horrific and tragic event for students. It is impossible to say how long this accident will leave a mark on the minds of Bangladeshi children. It has been reported that many students spent a terrifying time in school today. At the sight of a plane flying in the sky, they looked up in fear!