Tanzania's PM Leads Mourning for Plane Crash Victims

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“I have received with regret the information on the plane crash of Precision Corporation into Lake Victoria, Kagera region… Let us continue to be calm while the rescue operations continue and ask God to help us,” President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
7 November 2022
Deutsche Welle (Bonn)

Hundreds gathered to remember the 19 victims of Sunday's deadly air crash. French investigators, meanwhile, are heading to the African country to find out what caused the tragedy.

Tanzania's Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa on Monday led mourners in paying tribute to the 19 victims of Sunday's deadly plane crash in Lake Victoria.

Hundreds gathered at the Kaitaba Stadium in the city of Bukoba, northwest of the capital Dar es Salaam, and close to the shores of Lake Victoria where flight PW494, operated by carrier Precision Air, came down.

Majaliwa said the families of the victims would receive financial compensation. The government would also help the families pay for funeral services.

Both Muslim and Christian clerics led prayers in a ceremony to hand over the bodies of the dead to their families.

Rescuers praised for helping save lives

24 people survived Sunday's crash which police said was a result of "bad weather" conditions.

Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan praised emergency workers and volunteers who helped in the rescue efforts.

"I congratulate those who participated in the rescue, including the people of Bukoba," Hassan said on Twitter. He also called for the "deceased to rest in peace and for the injured to recover quickly."

During the event Monday, the regional commissioner of the northern region of Kagera singled out a local fisherman for his efforts in rescuing victims. The fisherman, who became hospitalized as a result of the rescue operation, was awarded one million Tanzanian shillings ($430, €428).

"We will... improve the government response to such accidents in partnership with the private sector," Defense Minister Innocent Bashungwa said at the ceremony.

French investigators being deployed to Tanzania

Meanwhile, French air accident investigators will be deployed in Tanzania to help local investigators.

Reuters news agency cited a spokesperson for France's BEA air accident investigation agency as having said it was sending a team along with technical advisers from Franco-Italian plane company ATR, which built the ATR 42-500 turboprop aircraft that crashed.

ATR said in a statement that specialists were "responding in line with established international protocols to support the investigation," with the company adding that it was "fully engaged to support the customer and the investigation."

kb/wd (AFP, Reuters)

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