Passenger plane crashes into Africa's largest lake after it tried to land in stormy conditions, reports say
Google Maps
- A Tanzanian passenger plane crashed into Lake Victoria on Sunday due to stormy conditions.
- The flight was carrying 43 people, of whom 26 were rescued and taken to hospital, a local official said.
- A rescue operation is still underway, and it is not clear if there have been fatalities.
A Tanzanian passenger plane crashed into Lake Victoria as it attempted to land in stormy weather at an airport in the lakeside town of Bukoba, Reuters reported, citing its state broadcaster.
The Precision Air flight was carrying 43 people, of whom 26 were rescued and taken to hospital, a local official told the BBC. It is not clear if there have been any fatalities.
The plane, which took off from Dar es Salaam, crashed into Lake Victoria due to storms and heavy rains, its state broadcaster said.
Images appear to show the plane almost entirely submerged, with its green and yellow tail visible above water.
Rescue workers and local fishermen are searching for survivors, according to the BBC, and emergency workers are trying to use ropes to pull the plane out of Africa's largest lake.
"We want to see if the landing gear is stuck so that we can ask for more technical assistance to push it out of the waters," top regional official Albert Chalamila told the outlet.
Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan called for the public to remain calm while the rescue operation continues.
"I have received with sadness the news of the accident involving Precision Air's plane," she said, per Reuters. "Let's be calm at this moment when rescuers are continuing with the rescue mission while praying to God to help us."
Precision Air, Tanzania's largest privately owned airline, said in a statement that the flight was "involved in an accident as it was approaching Bukoba Airport," Reuters reported.