A minimum of 19 individuals died after a passenger aircraft crashed in Lake Victoria in Tanzania on Sunday. As many as 26 survivors – of the 43 individuals on board flight PW 494 – had been rescued and brought to the hospital.

“All Tanzanians are with you in mourning the 19 individuals who misplaced lives throughout this accident,” Tanzania Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa informed reporters in Bukoba, a metropolis near the scene of the crash.

Listed below are the highest factors:

1) Flight PW494, operated by Precision Air, hit the water throughout storms and heavy rain, Reuters reported, citing state-run Tanzania Broadcasting Company (TBC).

2) The aircraft’s wreckage was reportedly nearly absolutely submerged when rescuers in boats rushed to drag out trapped passengers.

3) Majaliwa stated investigators had been nonetheless attempting to determine what prompted the incident.

4) It was not instantly clear if the 19 victims included rescuers who drowned or whether or not the 48-seater plane had extra individuals on board than beforehand disclosed.

5) “We’re persevering with to analyze, there’s a risk that two individuals weren’t onboard however died throughout the rescue effort,” an official was quoted.

6) In an announcement, Precision Air, Tanzania’s largest personal airline, stated the plane was an ATR 42-500, manufactured by Toulouse-based Franco-Italian agency ATR. “Precision Air sincerely understands the nervousness for confirmed data and can due to this fact do its greatest to challenge extra particulars,” it added.

7) Video footage broadcast on native media confirmed the aircraft largely submerged as rescuers, with emergency staff trying to carry the plane out of the water utilizing ropes, assisted by cranes as residents additionally sought to assist.

8) Rescue staff had been initially in contact with the pilots within the cockpit, Albert Chalamila, chief administrator of Tanzania’s Kagera area, informed reporters. The prime minister later stated the pilots might have died.

(With AFP, Reuters inputs)