TheCable

A training plane of Bangladesh air force crashed into the sea on Monday, leaving its pilot missing in the Bay of Bengal, according to officials.

Noor-e Alam, manager of Shah Amanat international airport, said the F-7 trainer crashed soon after it took off from an air-base at Patenga, some 220 kilometres south-east of the capital Dhaka.

He said the aircraft was on regular training mission.

Alam said the Bangladesh airforce and navy had launched a search operation.