A Tanzanian fisherman, Jackson Majaliwa who helped rescue 24 passengers from the airplane that crashed into Lake Victoria on Sunday has been rewarded by the Tanzania government.
Majaliwa, who was among the first responders was given a cash gift of $428 (equivalent to Tsh1 million) and a government job.
According to Eastern Africa, the Kagera Regional Commissioner, Albert Chalamila, handed over the cash to the fisherman from the lakeside town of Bukoba on Monday.
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24 of the passengers of the plane were rescued alive, but 19 died.
Majaliwa was offered a job with the firefighting and rescue brigade by the Tanzania President, Samia Suluhu.
Additionally, he would be given training from rescue operations to sharpen his skills.
Recall that the plane, which departed from the commercial capital, Dar es Salaam, crashed while attempting to land during stormy weather.
Chalamila had told reporters in the northwestern city of Bukoba, where the plane was approaching the airport before it plunged into the water, saying:
“All Tanzanians join you in mourning these 19 people … who have lost their lives.”
The Regional commissioner said 43 people – including 39 passengers, two pilots, and two cabin crew – were on board the plane.
Local authorities and the airline earlier said that 26 survivors out of the 43 people on board flight PW 494 had been pulled to safety and taken to hospital in Bukoba, a lakeside city in the Kagera region.
It was not immediately clear if the 19 victims included rescuers who drowned or whether the 48-seater aircraft had more people on board than previously disclosed, a regional official said.
Chalamila said:
“We are continuing to investigate.
“There is a possibility that two people were not onboard but died during the rescue effort.”
Precision Air, Tanzania’s largest privately-owned airline, said it had dispatched rescuers to the scene.
The airline said in a statement:
“An investigation team consisting of Precision Air technical staff and TAA (Tanzania Airports Authority) has also departed to join the rescue team on the ground.”
“We have managed to save quite a number of people,” Kagera province police Commander William Mwampaghale told journalists earlier in the day.
“When the aircraft was about 100 metres [328 feet] midair, it encountered problems and bad weather. It was raining and the plane plunged into the water. Everything is under control.”
Reports showed photos of the plane mostly submerged in the lake with only its green- and brown-coloured tail visible above the water line.
Speaking to Al Jazeera from Dar es Salaam, journalist Faraji Saidi said emergency services were at the scene.
Saidi said:
“According to the police commander in Bukoba, the plane crashed due to bad weather, fog. It is raining around that area. Rescue efforts are still ongoing. The airline has worked in Tanzania for so long and has had no crashes.”
Bukoba Airport is on the shores of Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest lake. Rescue boats were deployed and emergency workers continued to rescue other passengers trapped on the plane.
Hassan called for calmness during the rescue operation.
She tweeted:
“I have received with sadness the news of the accident involving Precision Air’s plane.
“Let’s be calm at this moment when rescuers are continuing with the rescue mission while praying to God to help us.”
