A Precision Air turboprop crashed into lake Victoria while en route from Dar Es Salaam to Bukoba in the Kagera region as its destination with accident occurring in the early hours of Sunday (November 5th).
The aircraft, an ATR42 turboprop with registration 5H-PWF had 43 occupants including 39 passengers and four cabin crew members, authorities now say.
Airspace Africa understands the rescue work is still ongoing and details are still sketchy. Photos on social media show the aircraft’s tail unit in the water of Africa’s largest freshwater lake.
Precision Air ATR-42 (5H-PWF, built 2010) ended in Lake Victoria on approach to runway 31 at Bukoba (HTBU), Tanzania with 53 on board. Flight #PW494 came from Dar Es Salaam. Rescue is ongoing. More to come.. pic.twitter.com/rEfBdbUmHQ
— JACDEC (@JacdecNew) November 6, 2022
The airline has since confirmed, the plane crashed while local media reports that the weather was bad at the time of the accident saying it stormed and rained.
Fishing boats are seen at the scene of the accident and are helping with the rescue work.
At least 15 occupants appeared to have survived the crash and were taken to hospitals, according to authorities. Other reports already mention 23 rescued people.
Precision Air is based in Tanzania’s capital, Dar Es Salaam. Its fleet consists of nine aircraft, all of them ATR 42.
According to unconfirmed media reports, the aircraft involved in the accident was a 15-year-old ATR 42-500.
The report is continuously updated
