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Passenger plane crashes into Lake Victoria in Tanzania

In this file photo dated Nov 25, 2018, rescuers search for victims at the site of a capsized cruise boat on Lake Victoria near Mutima village, south of Kampala, Uganda. (ISAAC KASAMANI / AFP)

DAR ES SALAAM – A passenger plane crashed into Lake Victoria in Tanzania on Sunday while attempting to land at an airport in Bukoba, state-owned Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation (TBC) reported.

TBC said 15 people had been rescued so far but it was unknown how many passengers were on board the Precision Air plane or whether there were any fatalities.

State-owned Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation said 15 people had been rescued so far but it was unknown how many passengers were on board the Precision Air plane or whether there were any fatalities

The aircraft, which had departed from the capital, Dar es Salaam, "fell in the Lake Victoria this morning due to storm and heavy rains", TBC reported.

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Video footage and images that circulated on social media showed the plane almost fully submerged, with only its green and brown-coloured tail visible above the water line.

Rescue boats were deployed and emergency workers were continuing to rescue other passengers trapped in the plane, TBC added.

Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan called for calm as the rescue operation continued.

Bukoba Airport lies on the shores of Lake Victoria, Africa's largest lake.

Precision Air is Tanzania's largest privately owned airline.

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