SOURCE: AP
A training aircraft of Bangladesh Air Force has made ‘an emergency landing’ in a rice field on a wetland in Narail. The incident occurred in the Tarashi Beel of Maizpara in Sadar Upazila around 2:40pm on Wednesday, said Sajedul Islam, an inspector at Narail Sadar Police Station.
Two pilots on the aircraft were safe and taken to the Air Force’s base in Jashore, according to the Fire Service and Civil Defence. Md Afsar Uddin, a deputy assistant director at the fire service, said the aircraft took off from Bangladesh Air Force Base Birshreshtha Matiur Rahman in Jashore at 1:34pm. Farmers working in the Tarashi Beel rice fields saw the jet coming down later in the afternoon.
The two pilots, identified with single names as squadron leaders Mahfuz and Nadim, got off after the emergency landing. They were taken to the base while senior Air Force officials inspected the site, said Afsar.
Hedayet Hossain, a resident of the area, said the farmers working in the field moved away as they were frightened to see the jet coming down. Curious locals then gathered to see the aircraft.
“We saw two people getting off the aircraft safely,” Hedayet said. A helicopter of the Air Force arrived at the site later, but no member of the Air Force talked to the media. No comments from the Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate were available.