A Tanzania’s Precision Air passenger aircraft crashed into Lake Victoria, killing at least 19 people at 8:50 local time on 6 November.
Picture: Screenshot
The plane departed from Dar es Salaam, and was set to land at Bukoba airport, but crashed in Lake Victoria at the end of Bukoba runway due to bad weather.
One of the survivors, Richard Komba, told BBC, ‘we were then informed that we would be landing shortly, but there was heavy turbulence. We later found ourselves in the lake.’ Of the 43 passengers on board, 24 survived. Local fishermen were the first on the scene, rescuing people from the rear door that a flight attendant managed to open.
Eyewitness Abdul Nuri saw the plane crash while waiting at the airport and says everyone at the airport was ‘really shocked. People panicked and some started crying and shouting,’ reports BBC.
The plane was completely submerged in the lake, apart from the brown and green tail fin, but rescue workers managed to pull the plane closer to shore with ropes.
Tanzania’s Prime Minister Kasim Majaliwa said ‘an extensive investigation would be carried out to determine the full causes of the crash’.
The airport will remain closed until further notice.
Watch the video below.
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