Tanzanian authorities have released the names of the 19 who died in the Precision Air crash on Sunday, November 6, in Lake Victoria.
Among the dead are two Kenyans, one of who was the co-pilot of the ill-fated plane PW 494 -5H-PWF.
Precision Air was flying 43 passengers and crew from Dar es Salaam to Mwanza through Bukoba when it plunged into the lake.
Tanzanian authorities released the names of the the passengers almost 24 hours after the Sunday crash.
The plane lost the runway as it prepared to land at Bukoba Airport, but the official cause of the accident remains unknown.
However, a witness who was on the plane recounted that the plane met rough weather as it came close to landing in Bukoba.
“As we approached Bukoba, the pilot alerted us that the weather was not fine and that it was raining heavily so we went past Bukoba towards the border with Uganda before we could turn back,” said Mr Richard Komba.
The survivor also narrated that they were alerted by the pilot that in the event that the weather was still not good, they would be taken back to Mwanza.
“Soon we began our descent on Bukoba Airport, there was so much turbulence and it was still raining heavily and soon without any warning we found ourselves in the water,” said Mr Komba.
The witness told Journalists that the plane landed in water without any form of warning to the passengers.
“We had a cabin crew with us who helped us open the emergence exit and soon we found ourselves outside the aircraft.”
Precision Air Chief Executive Officer Patrick Mwanri was distressed as he addressed a press briefing.
“But at 8.53 a.m. our Operations Control Center got a report that that aircraft had not arrived,” he said in a televised statement on Sunday.
Precision Air is a Tanzanian airline based out of Dar es Salaam.
Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu called for calm as investigations into the cause of the accident continue. She applauded fishermen and the first responders who saved lives.
President William Ruto has also condoled with families of those who lost their lives in the crash.
"Kenya mourns with the people of Tanzania following a tragic plane crash. We send our deepest condolences and wish all survivors of the Precision Air tragedy a quick recovery," he wrote on Facebook.
