Nearly 20 people die after passenger plane crash-lands into Lake Victoria in Tanzania
At least 19 people have been killed after a Precision Air's aircraft crash-landed into Lake Victoria in Tanzania as it attempted to land at Bukoba Airport, the country's prime minister said.
"All Tanzanians join you in mourning these 19 people … who have lost their lives," Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa told reporters in Bukoba.
According to the state-owned Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation, the Precision Air flight carrying 39 passengers made a crash landing into Lake Victoria on Sunday while attempting to reach a nearby airport in Tanzania.
Flight PW494, which departed from the commercial capital Dar es Salaam, "crash landed" into the lake as it was approaching the lakeside city of Bukoba, Precision Air added.
The cause was not immediately clear, but the state broadcaster said the incident took place amid storms and heavy rains.
PHOTOS: Plane Crashes Into Lake Victoria In Tanzania
— Punch Newspapers (@MobilePunch) November 6, 2022
A plane belonging to Precision Air has crashed into Lake Victoria in Bukoba in Tanzania’s Kagera region on Sunday.
According to reports, rescue efforts are underway.
Credit: Twitter | rakidi pic.twitter.com/3kTI7VS6iM
A witness told the Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation (TBC) he saw the plane flying unsteadily as it approached the airport in poor visibility conditions, saying it took a turn for the airport but missed and went into the lake.
Video and pictures circulating on social media showed the plane almost fully submerged, with only its green and brown-colored tail visible above the water line of Lake Victoria, Africa's largest lake.
Rescue boats were deployed, and emergency workers were continuing to pull trapped passengers from the plane, TBC reported.
Rescue workers were in touch with the pilots in the cockpit and were attempting to pull the plane from the lake, Albert Chalamila, the chief administrator of Tanzania's Kagera region, told reporters.
WATCH: Efforts are underway in #Tanzania to rescue passengers aboard the Precision Air Plane that crashed into Lake Victoria this morning. Sources say the plane was flying from Dar es Salaam en route to Bukoba #MonitorUpdates
— Daily Monitor (@DailyMonitor) November 6, 2022
📹 Courtesy pic.twitter.com/AcXgV3KBro
TBC footage showed scores of residents standing along the shoreline and others wading into the shallow waters, as rescuers carried on with their efforts.
Precision Air, Tanzania's largest privately owned airline, identified the aircraft as an ATR-48. Airline officials did not immediately respond to calls seeking further details about the incident.
Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan called for calm as the rescue operation continued.
"I have received with sadness the news of the accident involving Precision Air's plane," she tweeted, adding, "Let's be calm at this moment when rescuers are continuing with the rescue mission while praying to God to help us."
(Source: Reuters)
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