Rescuers in boats are seen around the tail fin of a crashed Precision Air passenger aircraft on the shores of Lake Victoria in Bukoba, in western Tanzania Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022. The small passenger plane crashed Sunday morning into Lake Victoria near Bukoba airport and the company Precision Air said the flight was coming from the coastal city of Dar es Salaam, though it was not immediately clear how many people were on board. (AYO TV via AP)

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At least 17 passengers missing after plane crashes in Tanzania

Per Second NewsNovember 6, 20221 Mins read1.3k

At least seventeen passengers are missing after a commercial plane crashed in Lake Victoria in Tanzania on Sunday, Persecondnews.com gathered.

“There was an accident involving a Precision Air plane which … crashed into water about 100 metres from the airport,” regional police commander William Mwampaghale told reporters at Bukoba airport.

Twenty-six people had been saved from the partially submerged aircraft, which crashed in the lake as it approached nearby Bukoba airport.

The aircraft is a 1980s-era ATR-42, a twin-engined propeller plane operated by Precision Air, Tanzania’s largest private airline. It crashed in bad weather while making its final approach and shortly afterwards local fishermen were seen at the crash site assisting with the rescue effort.

Regional commissioner Albert Chalamila said 43 people, including 39 passengers, two pilots and two cabin crew, were aboard flight PW494 from financial capital Dar es Salaam to the lakeside city in Kagera region.

“As we speak, we have managed to rescue 26 people who were taken to our referral hospital,” Mr Chalamila said.

“The rescue operation is still ongoing and we are communicating with the pilots,” he said.