“All Tanzanians are with you in mourning the 19 people who lost their lives during this crash,” Tanzanian Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa told reporters in Bukoba, a town near the crash site.

Here are the highlights:

  1. Flight PW494, operated by Precision Air, crashed into water during thunderstorms and heavy rainfall, Reuters reported, citing Tanzania’s state-run Broadcasting Corporation (TBC).
  2. The wreckage of the plane was reportedly almost completely submerged when rescuers in boats rushed to remove the trapped passengers.
  3. Majaliwa said investigators were still trying to figure out what caused the incident.
  4. It was not immediately clear if the 19 victims included rescuers who drowned or if the 48-seat plane had more people on board than previously disclosed.
  5. “We are continuing the investigation, there is a possibility that two people were not on board but died during the rescue effort,” an official said.
  6. In a statement, Precision Air, Tanzania’s largest private airline, said the aircraft was an ATR 42-500, manufactured by Toulouse-based Franco-Italian company ATR. “Precision Air sincerely understands the anxiety for confirmed information and will therefore do its best to release more details,” he added.
  7. Video broadcast to local media showed the plane heavily submerged as rescuers, with emergency workers trying to pull the aircraft out of the water using ropes, were assisted by cranes as residents also tried to help.
  8. Rescue partners were initially in contact with the pilots in the cockpit, Albert Chalamila, chief administrator of Tanzania’s Kagera district, told reporters. The prime minister later said the pilots may have died. (With data from AFP, Reuters)

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