Nineteen lives were tragically lost when a passenger plane crashed into Lake Victoria in Tanzania on Sunday while attempting to land at a nearby airport, officials confirmed. The aircraft, identified as Flight PW494 and operated by Precision Air, reportedly encountered storms and heavy rain, leading to the catastrophic accident.
According to reports from the state Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation (TBC), rescue efforts were immediately mobilized as boats rushed to the submerged wreckage to extract trapped passengers. Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa expressed condolences on behalf of the nation, acknowledging the immense loss suffered by all Tanzanians in the wake of the tragedy.
While investigations into the incident are ongoing, initial accounts suggest that the plane, departing from the commercial capital Dar-es-Salaam, crash-landed as it approached Bukoba airport at 8:53 a.m. local time. Precision Air, Tanzania’s largest privately owned airline, released a statement confirming the passenger manifest, which included 39 passengers, including an infant, and four crew members.
Conflicting reports emerged regarding the number of survivors, initially indicating that 26 individuals were rescued from the crash site. However, emergency services later revised the number, reporting 24 survivors in total.
Eyewitnesses recounted seeing the aircraft flying unsteadily in poor visibility before witnessing the tragic moment when it missed its approach to the airport and plunged into Lake Victoria. Remarkably, both pilots survived the crash and maintained communication with rescue workers from the cockpit. However, they later reported a dwindling oxygen supply, adding to the urgency of the rescue operation.
As the investigation delves deeper into the circumstances surrounding the crash, the nation mourns the loss of those aboard Flight PW494 and stands in solidarity with the survivors and their families during this difficult time.
