19 die as plane plunges into Lake Victoria

RESCUERS desperately searched for survivors yesterday after a passenger plane crashed into Lake Victoria as it was coming in to land at an airport.

At least 19 of the 43 on board died after the twin-propeller aircraft came down in bad weather on its approach to Bukoba in north-west Tanzania.

Authorities initially said 26 people had been rescued and taken to hospital, although it was unclear last night whether some of those had later died.

A number of family members waiting at the airport saw the crash, at around 8.30am local time.

‘People panicked and some started crying and shouting,’ Adbul Nuri told the BBC. ‘At the arrivals gate people panicked as well – most of them were waiting to welcome their relatives.’

The two pilots survived the crash and spoke to local officials from the cockpit but Tanzania’s prime minister Kassim Majaliwa said they may have since died.

Images show the Precision Air plane mostly submerged in the lake, Africa’s largest. It came down near the shore so rescue workers were able to wade through the water to take some of those onboard to safety.

‘We have managed to save quite a number of people,’ said the regional police commander, William Mwampaghale. ‘When the aircraft was about 100 metres (328ft) midair, it encountered problems and bad weather.

‘It was raining and the plane plunged into the water.’