Passenger plane crashes into Lake Victoria as it was coming in to land at Tanzania airport

A small passenger plane has crashed into Lake Victoria as it was coming in to land at an airport in Tanzania.

Authorities said 26 of the 43 people on board the Precision Air flight from the coastal city of Dar es Salaam had been rescued and taken to hospital.

The aircraft was travelling from Dar es Salaam to Bukoba airport when the accident happened.

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

“When the aircraft was about 100 metres (328ft) midair, it encountered problems and bad weather. It was raining and the plane plunged into the water. Everything is under control,” he said.

The plane “fell in Lake Victoria this morning due to storms and heavy rains”, according to the Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation.

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 of Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest lake.

A child was among the 39 passengers on board the flight, the airline said.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan expressed her condolences to all those affected by the incident and called for calm while the rescue operation continues.