A passenger plane belonging to Tanzanian airline Precision Air crashed this morning in Lake Victoria near the northwestern city of Bukoba.
The plane was carrying about 49 people including travelers and staff, 26 of whom were rescued and sent to hospital, a local official told the BBC. Rescuers and local fishermen are on the scene searching for any other survivors.
Photos broadcast by Tanzanian media show the plane almost completely submerged, with only its brown and green tail fin above the water, surrounded by rescuers and fishing boats.
One side of the runway at Bukoba Airport is right next to the shores of Lake Victoria, Africa's largest lake.
The Precision Air flight was on its way from Tanzania's largest city, Das es Salaam, to Bukoba via Mwanza when it reportedly encountered a storm and heavy rains. Precision Air is Tanzania's largest private airline.

UPDATE: According to the findings of authorities at Bukoba airport, there were 43 people on board, including four of the staff.
The plane according to initial reconstructions ditched a few hundred meters from the Tanzanian city's runway.