Kenyan Pilot, Peter Omondi Odhiambo, who was in charge of Precision Air based in Tanzania that plunged in Lake Victoria Sunday, November 6, could not escape from the cockpit.
A report released by the Tanzania Ministry of Transport on Tuesday, November 22, indicated that the crew member unlocked a rear door with the assistance of another passenger.
The two helped the survivors leave the plane, which had nosedived into Lake Victoria. However, the delayed rescue mission led to the death of the Kenyan pilot, who was stuck in the cockpit.
“If there could have been immediate rescue operations, it is most likely that more people would have survived,” the ministry report read in part.
Additionally, the report indicated that 10 firemen who were present were not well equipped to carry out offshore operations.
The operation was thus carried out by a single marine unit, which received information about the crash 15 minutes later.
“Before the arrival of the Police Marine Unit, one of the local fishermen started the process of recovering the dead bodies from the wreckage,” the report added.
Initially, reports by the police blamed the accident on bad weather.
The report advised Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan to build adequate capabilities for its search and rescue teams to prevent a recurrence.
Before Omondi died in the ill-fated plane, he had conversed with his wife, Fiona Ndila, inquiring about their son.
“Safe skies!” the wife told the husband.
“Thanks, travel safely too,” Omondi replied to Ndila, who had planned to travel to Mtito Andei.
Source: kENYANS.CO.KE