Immediately after the Air Force's training aircraft caught fire in Chattogram’s Patenga, people nearby saw two pilots parachuting down into the Karnaphuli River.

The aircraft crashed near the Patenga Container Terminal on the river shortly after 10:30am on Thursday.

Videos captured by locals show two pilots jumping with parachutes immediately after the aircraft initially caught fire at the back.

The aircraft was engulfed in flames within seconds as it descended into the water.

Engineer Mizanur Rahman of the survey ship MT Jubilee Doa, which was near the scene, said: "Suddenly there was a loud noise. I saw a fire at the back of an aircraft. At that time, two people jumped from both sides of the aircraft with parachutes."

At midday, Mizanur, standing on the ship, pointed to the site where the plane crashed next to a green buoy.

Saiful Islam, a crew member,said the two people who fell from the plane were in the water for 5-7 minutes. Then two engine boats moved quickly from the two sides of the river.

"There were passengers on the boats. However, they saw two people falling from the plane and rushed to rescue them. I saw water coming out of the mouth of one of the two people who were rescued. His condition was bad."

First, a boat near pier number 12 on the right side of the scene proceeded to rescue the pilots. At that time, the other boat coming from the southern bank of the river in the direction of pier number 12 also moved towards the spot.

An Ansar member at pier No. 12 said, "When the plane caught fire in the sky, I saw it. The plane broke into three pieces and fell into the river. Before that, two people came out with parachutes.”

“Then I told the sailors of the boat to quickly go and rescue the two people who fell from the plane. They went and picked them up."

After some time, rescue teams of the Navy and the Coast Guard reached the spot. A Fire Service team also joined the rescue operation.

Some local teenagers of that area said that in the morning the Air Force aircraft was flying from the other side of the airport road near the river. It was flying low. Then there was a loud noise during the climb and then a fire was seen at the rear of the aircraft.

One of the two pilots injured in the crash of the Air Force training aircraft has died.

Kabirul Islam, chief of Patenga Police Station, identified the deceased as Squadron Leader Asim Jawad, who died around noon while undergoing treatment at BNS Patenga Hospital of Issa Khan naval base.

Wing Commander Suhan, who was injured in the incident and identified with a single name, was undergoing treatment at the medical squadron of Air Force Base Zahurul Haque, said Kabirul.

Group Captain Taslim Ahmed, manager of Shah Amanat International Airport, said that the plane crashed soon after taking off from Zahurul Haque base at 10:28am.

The Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate said the Air Force's YAK-130 training fighter crashed 'due to a mechanical fault'.

After the accident near the mouth of the Karnaphuli river, shipping was stopped for some time. The alert was later lifted, port authorities said.