Tanzania Precision Air crash: 'I tried to save pilots but was knocked unconscious'

A fisherman who was 1 of the archetypal responders astatine the tract of Sunday's level crash, which killed 19 radical successful Tanzania's Lake Victoria, has described however helium tried to prevention the pilots stuck successful the cockpit and however helium astir mislaid his beingness trying to rescue them.

Interviewed from his infirmary furniture successful the lakeside municipality of Bukoba, Majaliwa Jackson said helium panicked arsenic helium saw the rider level attack from the incorrect direction, earlier plunging into the lake.

He rushed to the country with 3 chap fishermen and helped to unfastened the rear doorway by smashing it with a rowing oar which helped passengers who were seated towards the rear of the level to beryllium rescued.

Mr Jackson said helium past moved to the beforehand and dived into the water. He and 1 of the pilots past communicated with each different by making signs done the cockpit window.

"He directed maine to interruption the model screen. I emerged from the h2o and asked airdrome security, who had arrived, if they person immoderate tools that we tin usage to smash the screen.

"They gave maine an axe, but I was stopped by a antheral with a nationalist announcement talker from going down and smashing the screen. He said they were already successful connection with the pilots and determination was nary h2o leakage successful the cockpit," Mr Jackson said.

He added that aft being stopped helium "dived backmost and waved goodbye to the pilot".

But the aviator past indicated that helium inactive wanted to beryllium rescued.

"He pointed retired the cockpit exigency doorway to me. I swam backmost up and took a enactment and tied it to the doorway and we tried to propulsion it with different boats, but the enactment broke and deed maine successful the look and knocked maine unconscious. The adjacent happening I cognize I americium present astatine the hospital," Mr Jackson said.

Both pilots are among the 19 confirmed fatalities aft the level - operated by Precision Air, Tanzania's largest backstage hose - crashed adjacent the enactment of the lake.

Of the 43 radical connected committee determination were 24 survivors, according to Precision Air.

A ceremonial work for the 19 victims being held astatine the section shot stadium successful Bukoba.

Tanzania's Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa is among hundreds of radical attending the service.

Earlier, helium said an extended probe would beryllium carried to found the origin of the crash.

The level near the commercialized superior Dar es Salaam connected Sunday and made a scheduled halt astatine Mwanza earlier it crashed astatine astir 08.50 section clip (05:50 GMT) arsenic it was approaching Bukoba airport.

The airdrome has been closed until further notice.