Tanzania: Small passenger plane crashes into Lake Victoria

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — A small passenger plane crashed Sunday morning into Lake Victoria on approach to an airport in Tanzania, and regional authorities said at least three people died.

Local authorities said 26 of the 43 people on board the Precision Air flight from the coastal city of Dar es Salaam were rescued and taken to a hospital. The plane was headed to Bukoba Airport.

Precision Air is a Tanzanian airline company.

News reports showed photos of the plane mostly submerged in the lake.

“We have managed to save quite a number of people,” Kagera province police commander William Mwampaghale told journalists.

“When the aircraft was about 100 meters (328 feet) midair, it encountered problems and bad weather. It was raining and the plane plunged into the water,” he said.

Mwampaghale said rescue efforts continued.