On a fateful Sunday, tragedy struck as a passenger plane crashed into Lake Victoria in Tanzania, resulting in the loss of nineteen lives. The aircraft, Flight PW494 operated by Precision Air, encountered storms and heavy rain as it attempted to land at a nearby airport.
Reports from the state Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation (TBC) depicted the heartbreaking scene as rescuers in boats rushed to the almost fully submerged wreckage to save trapped passengers.
Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa, speaking from the lakeside city of Bukoba near the crash site, extended condolences on behalf of the nation, stating, “All Tanzanians join you in mourning these 19 people who have lost their lives.”
As investigations into the crash unfold, details have emerged regarding the flight’s departure from the commercial capital Dar-es-Salaam and its subsequent “crash-landing” at 8:53 a.m. local time as it approached Bukoba airport, according to Precision Air.
The plane, carrying a total of 39 passengers, including an infant, as well as four crew members, initially reported 26 individuals rescued from the crash site. However, subsequent updates from emergency services revised the number to 24 survivors.
Eyewitness accounts described the plane’s struggle as it approached the airport amidst poor visibility, ultimately missing its mark and plunging into the lake. Remarkably, both pilots survived the crash and maintained communication with rescue workers from the cockpit.
As Tanzania mourns the lives lost in this tragic accident, investigators continue their inquiry, offering support to the survivors and families of the victims while striving to determine the cause of the crash.
