Watch: Passenger aircraft crashes into Lake Victoria in Tanzania, rescue ops proceed

Tanzania’s largest privately owned airline Precision Air’s aircraft, on Sunday, had crashed into Africa’s largest lake ‘Lake Victoria’ in Bukoba, Tanzania because of dangerous climate shortly earlier than touchdown.

A passenger aircraft crashed into Lake Victoria in Tanzania whereas making an attempt to land in stormy climate at an airport within the lakeside metropolis of Bukoba, the state broadcaster mentioned. In line with stories, practically 50 individuals have been on the flight.

At the very least 26 individuals have been rescued from the aircraft, the airline mentioned in a press release, including that no deaths had been confirmed.

Video footage, that circulated on-line, confirmed the aircraft virtually absolutely submerged with solely its inexperienced and brown-coloured tail seen above the water line.

In line with the Tanzania Broadcasting Company (TBC) report, it isn’t recognized what number of passengers have been on board the Precision Air flight or whether or not there have been any fatalities. The plane, which had departed from the industrial capital Dar es Salaam, “fell in Lake Victoria this morning because of storms and heavy rains”, TBC reported.

A witness advised the Tanzania Broadcasting Company (TBC) he noticed the aircraft flying unsteadily because it approached the airport in poor visibility situations, saying it took a flip for the airport however missed and went into the lake.

Rescue boats have been deployed, and emergency staff have been persevering with to drag trapped passengers from the aircraft, TBC reported.

Albert Chalamila, the chief administrator of Tanzania’s Kagera area, mentioned, Rescue staff have been in contact with the pilots within the cockpit and have been making an attempt to drag the aircraft from the lake.

TBC footage confirmed scores of residents standing alongside the shoreline and others wading into the shallow waters, as rescuers carried on with their efforts.

Precision Air recognized the aircraft as flight PW 494 and mentioned it was “concerned in an accident because it was approaching Bukoba Airport”. The airline’s assertion gave no additional particulars.

Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, in a Twitter put up, mentioned, “I’ve obtained with disappointment the information of the accident involving Precision Air’s aircraft.”

She additionally known as for calm because the rescue operation continued. “Let’s be calm at this second when rescuers are persevering with with the rescue mission whereas praying to God to assist us,” Hassan mentioned.

(With enter from companies)