The violent plane crash into Lake Victoria in Tanzania claimed as many as 19 lives, out of the total 40 people aboard the flight.
People were left grasping for air when a passenger plane landed in the middle of a lake, with many left stranded in the water being rescued by the boats and fishermen in the area. This deadly plane crash in Tanzania’s Lake Victoria claimed as many as 19 lives.
The plane crash in Tanzania, which turned deadly for at least half of the passengers on board, was caused by turbulent weather and rain storms, which the small passenger plane was not able to survive.
At least 19 people died when a passenger plane crashed into Lake Victoria in Tanzania on Sunday while trying to land at a nearby airport, the prime minister and airline said. Flight PW494, operated by Precision Air, hit the water during storms and heavy rain, the state Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation (TBC) reported.
Local authorities sprung into action after the small passenger plane crash-landed in Tanzania’s lake, with rescuers in boats rushed to the wreckage, which was almost fully submerged, to pull out trapped passengers.
"All Tanzanians join you in mourning these 19 people ... who have lost their lives," Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa told reporters in the lakeside city of Bukoba, close to the scene of the crash. Investigators were looking into what happened, he added.
The plane left the commercial capital Dar es Salaam and "crash-landed" at 8:53 a.m. (0553 GMT) as it was approaching Bukoba airport, Precision Air - Tanzania's largest privately owned airline - said in a statement, as per Reuters.
The plane was carrying 39 passengers, including an infant, as well as four crew members, the airline added. It initially said 26 of the 43 people on board were rescued but later said 24 survivors were reported by emergency services at the scene.
A witness told TBC he saw the plane flying unsteadily as it approached the airport in poor visibility, saying it took a turn for the airport but missed and went into the lake.
Video and pictures on social media showed the plane almost fully submerged, with only its green and brown-colored tail visible above the waterline of Lake Victoria, Africa's largest lake.
(With Reuters inputs)
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