By Our Correspondent, BUKOBA
Tanzania
A Tanzanian fisherman Jackson Majaliwa (18) who was among the first responders who helped rescue 24 passengers when a Precision Air plane plunged into Lake Victoria, killing 19 others on Sunday, has been awarded Tsh1 million ($428) and employment into fire and rescue brigade.
Prime Minister, Kassim
Majaliwa issued the cash and directives when he attended the ceremony to hand
over the victims' bodies to their families at Kaitaba stadium in Bukoba, where
mourners paid emotional tributes.
The Kagera Regional Commissioner, Albert Chalamila, handed over the cash to the fisherman from the lakeside town of Bukoba on Monday.
Earlier, in an interview with
the BBC from his hospital bed, the fisherman said he had panicked as he saw the
plane approach from the wrong direction before plunging into the lake.
He rushed to the scene with
three fellow fishermen and helped open the rear door by smashing it with a
rowing bar which helped passengers seated towards the rear of the plane to be
rescued.
Majaliwa said he then moved to
the front and dived into the water. He said one of the pilots made signs
through the cockpit window, directing him to smash it.
He says he emerged from the water and inquired from the airport security, who had arrived, if they had any tools to smash the screen.
"They gave me an axe, but
I was stopped by a man with a public announcement speaker from going down and
smashing the screen. He said they were already in communication with the
pilots, and there was no water leakage in the cockpit," Majaliwa told the
BBC.
The captain and first officer
are among the 19 people who died.
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