19 confirmed dead, prime minister says, as Passenger plane crashes into Lake Victoria in Tanzania.

 

DAR ES SALAAM, Nov 6 (Reuters) - At least 19 people died when a passenger plane crashed into Lake Victoria in Tanzania on Sunday morning while trying to land at a nearby airport, the prime minister said.

Flight PW494, operated by Precision Air, hit the water during storms and heavy rain, the state Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation (TBC) reported.

Rescuers in boats rushed to the wreckage, which was almost fully submerged, to pull out trapped passengers, local authorities said.

"All Tanzanians join you in mourning these 19 people ... who have lost their lives," Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa told reporters in the lakeside city of Bukoba, close to the scene of the crash.

Investigators were still looking into what happened, he added.

The plane left the commercial capital Dar es Salaam and "crash-landed" at 8:53 a.m. (0553 GMT) as it was approaching Bukoba airport, Precision Air - Tanzania's largest privately owned airline - said in a statement.

3 minute readNovember 6, 20228:21 PM GMT+3Last Updated 7 min ago

Passenger plane crashes into Lake Victoria in Tanzania, 19 dead, prime minister says

By Nuzulack Dausen

People look at Precision Air plane that crushed into Lake Victoria

People pull Precision Air plane out of Lake Victoria

A view of rescue mission of Precision Air plane, at Lake Victoria

More............

Plane was trying to land at nearby airport - airline

Rescuers in boats rush out to save trapped passengers

Crash happened amid storms, heavy rain - broadcaste

DAR ES SALAAM, Nov 6 (Reuters) - At least 19 people died when a passenger plane crashed into Lake Victoria in Tanzania on Sunday morning while trying to land at a nearby airport, the prime minister said.

Flight PW494, operated by Precision Air, hit the water during storms and heavy rain, the state Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation (TBC) reported.

Rescuers in boats rushed to the wreckage, which was almost fully submerged, to pull out trapped passengers, local authorities said.

"All Tanzanians join you in mourning these 19 people ... who have lost their lives," Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa told reporters in the lakeside city of Bukoba, close to the scene of the crash.

Investigators were still looking into what happened, he added.

The plane left the commercial capital Dar es Salaam and "crash-landed" at 8:53 a.m. (0553 GMT) as it was approaching Bukoba airport, Precision Air - Tanzania's largest privately owned airline - said in a statement.