Precision Air crash: Tanzanian NGO loses 5 employees
Monday November 07 2022
Rescuers search for survivors after a Precision Air flight that was carrying 43 people plunged into Lake Victoria as it attempted to land in the lakeside town of Bukoba, on November 6, 2022. PHOTO | ALODIA DOMINICK | NMG
Five employees of Management and Development for Health (MDH) – a Tanzanian non-profit working in public health – are among the 19 victims whose lives were tragically cut short in the fatal crash of Precision Air flight PW 494 in Bukoba on Sunday morning.
Three additional MDH staff were among the 24 passengers rescued and are reportedly under care in the hospital.
MDH Chief Executive Dr David Sando said the eight employees, three women and five men, were travelling to Tabora through Mwanza on business.
Precision Air plane crash in Lake Victoria. GRAPHIC | JOE NGARI | NMG
“We had eight colleagues (on the flight) – three were rescued, but were not doing well, so (they) had to be rushed to the hospital,” he said, adding “…(later), we recovered five other colleagues – they did not make it.”
MDH employees who lost their lives in the crash include three medical doctors Boniphace Jullu, Alice Simwinga, Sauli Epimack John and Neema Faraja and Zacharia Mlacha.
Those rescued right away and presently in recovery are Dr Josephine Mwakisambwe, Dr Felix Otieno, and Nixon Jackson, according to MDH officials.
The Precision Air plane plunged into Lake Victoria during bad weather shortly before it was due to land in Bukoba, Kagera with 43 people – 39 passengers, two pilots and two crew – on board according to airline officials.