In Tanzania, a passenger plane crashes into Lake Victoria.

Although fifteen people have been rescued thus far, the number of passengers aboard was unknown.

The state broadcaster reported that a passenger plane tried to land in stormy weather at an airport in the lakeside city of Bukoba on Sunday when it crashed into Lake Victoria.

According to Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation (TBC), fifteen people have been rescued, but the number of passengers aboard the Precision Air flight and the number of fatalities are unknown.

The aircraft, which had departed from the capital, Dar es Salaam, “fell in Lake Victoria this morning due to storms and heavy rains”, TBC reported.

Social media posts and videos showed the plane nearly submerged, with only its green and brown tail visible above the water line of Africa’s largest lake, Lake Victoria.

TBC added that rescue boats were set up and that emergency personnel were still working to free other passengers trapped inside the plane.

The plane was identified as flight PW 494 by Precision Air, Tanzania’s largest privately owned airline, which stated that it was “involved in an accident as it was approaching Bukoba Airport. “The airline’s statement provided no additional information.

Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan called for calm as the rescue operation continued.

“I have received with sadness the news of the accident involving Precision Air’s plane,” she tweeted. “Let’s be calm at this moment when rescuers are continuing with the rescue mission while praying to God to help us.”