Havariet i Victoriasjøen - Skikkelig bush operasjon - Curt Lewis

 

Accident: Precision AT42 at Bukoba on Nov 6th 2022, overran runway on landing and ended up in Lake Victoria A Precision Air Service Avions de Transport Regional ATR-42-500, registration 5H-PWF performing flight PW-494 from Dar es Salaam to Bukoba (Tanzania) with 39 passengers and 4 crew, was on approach to Bukoba's runway 13 at about 08:53L (05:53Z). The aircraft overshot Bukoba's runway 13 and came to a stop submerged in Lake Victoria about 100 meters/330 feet past the end of the runway with the nose of the aircraft pointing away from the shore. The aircraft is about 80% submerged. 26 survivors were taken to hospital. 24 survivors and 19 fatalities (2 of them the cabin crew) were confirmed. The airline confirmed at about 10:40Z, flight PW-494 aircraft registration 5H-PWF was involved in an accident as it was approaching Bukoba Airport and crash landed in Lake Victoria. Rescue works are ongoing, so far 26 passengers have been rescued and taken to a hospital for medical care. So far no death has been confirmed. Local police reported the aircraft crashed into the waters of Lake Victoria about 100 meters from the airport due to bad weather. In a press conference at 12:00z local authorities reported they have recovered 3 bodies from the aircraft, so far 26 people have been recovered alive, the search for the missing 14 people is still underway. In the afternoon Tansania's Prime Minister, visiting the accident site, reported that a total of 19 people have died in the accident, it is unclear whether there were 2 rescuers, survivors succumbed in hospital or whether there is a discrepancy with the number of people on board (45 people instead of 43 people as reported by the airline, e.g. dead heading flight attendants not listed). Survivors reported the aircraft had been approaching Bukoba in heavy rain, the approach was turbulent. The crew aborted the approach and climbed back, then announced they would try another approach and if that failed again, they would need to return to Dar es Salaam. The aircraft was on final approach again when they suddenly found themselves in the water, the cabin filled rapidly with water, a flight attendant opened the emergency exit in the back where they were able to get out of the aircraft and after some time were picked up by fisher boats. The airline reported in the evening, that 19 occupants perished in the accident, 24 people survived the accident. According to recent charts by Tansania's CAA there are no instrument approaches published for Bukoba, there are also no ground based navigation aids (NDB, VOR, DME) at the aerodrome (the next NDB and VOR/DME are at Mwanza). https://avherald.com/h?article=500a5725&opt=0