At least 19 people died when a passenger plane from Tanzania crashed into Lake Victoria as it tried to land in the town of Bukoba, which is near the lake.
26 of the 43 people on the Precision Air flight were saved and taken to the hospital at first.
The two pilots were able to talk to local officials from the cockpit after the crash, but the prime minister says they may have died since then.
Local fishermen and people trying to help have been trying to get to the people inside.
Because the aircraft went down close to the beach at the end of the runway at the Bukoba airport, rescue workers were able to wade into the water to get some of the passengers and crew members aboard the flight to safety.
When Abdul Nuri watched the jet crash into Lake Victoria, which is the largest lake in Africa, he was at the airport waiting for his trip to Dar es Salaam, the largest city in Tanzania, when it happened.
“We were really shocked. People panicked and some started crying and shouting,” he said to the BBC.
The tragic event, which took place at about 08:30 (05:30 GMT), has been attributed to adverse meteorological conditions.
The ATR-42 aircraft has been pulled considerably closer to the coast by emergency personnel with the use of ropes, and part of the plane’s body is now visible above the water.
