19 dead after commercial aircraft crashes into Lake Victoria in Tanzania
The Ministry of Transport and Communications (MOTC) of Tanzania and the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority said on Wednesday that of the 51 persons who died in this week’s crash near Mwanza, 13 were on board the commercial aircraft that crashed into Lake Victoria.
This is the highest number of people who died onboard an aircraft in the country.
MOTC spokesperson Mr. John Ngurebe and CAAT Executive Director Mr. Michael Chege said that the crash occurred when the Boeing 737-500 en route from Nairobi, Kenya, to Mwanza, Tanzania, made a sharp nosedive during its descent on Tuesday morning.
At least 20 people on board the aircraft died in the incident. However, the remaining 51 others died after the crash landed back on the ground, according to CAAT.
The aircraft was being operated by Kenya Airways and was headed from Nairobi to Mwanza.
CAAT and the National Disaster Management Agency are investigating the cause of the crash.
Mr. Ngurebe said the aircraft left Kenya Airport on time with only two passengers on board.
Meanwhile, the passengers who perished in the crash have been identified as 52-year-old civil servant John Luma, who was reportedly on the way to pay a courtesy call in Mwanza; 58-year-old civil servant John Luma, who was taking a family vacation at Tanzania’s main beach resort; 60-year-old civil servant John Luma, who was on his way to visit relatives in Mwanza to attend funeral of his father; 44-year-old civil servant John Luma, who was traveling to Mwanza for a family funeral; 54-year-old civil servant John Luma, who was returning alone from a family visit; and 61-year-old civil servant John Luma, who was on his way to Mwanza for a family wedding, Mr. Ngurebe said.
According to the Civil Aviation Authority, Mwanza is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Tanzania, where people come from all over the world to enjoy the