In a devastating incident on Sunday, a passenger plane crashed into Lake Victoria in Tanzania, resulting in the loss of nineteen lives. The aircraft, identified as 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) described the harrowing scene as rescuers in boats rushed to the almost fully submerged wreckage to rescue trapped passengers. Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa, speaking from the lakeside city of Bukoba, expressed condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims.
Investigators have launched an inquiry into the crash, seeking to determine the factors contributing to the tragedy. According to Precision Air, the flight departed from Dar-es-Salaam and “crash-landed” at 8:53 a.m. local time as it approached Bukoba airport.
The aircraft was carrying a total of 39 passengers, including an infant, as well as four crew members. While initial reports suggested that 26 individuals had been rescued from the crash site, later updates from emergency services revised the number to 24 survivors.
Eyewitnesses recounted seeing the plane flying unsteadily in poor visibility before veering off course and plunging into the lake. Miraculously, both pilots survived the crash and maintained communication with rescue workers from the cockpit.
As Tanzania mourns the lives lost in this tragic accident, authorities and aviation experts are committed to uncovering the causes of the crash and implementing measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
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