Majaliwa Jackson has been officially declared a hero, awarded 1 million Tanzanian shillings ($430; £370), and offered a job in the fire and rescue brigade for his efforts.

Speaking from his hospital bed in the lakeside town of Bukoba before the government announcement, Mr Jackson said he panicked as he saw the passenger plane approach from the wrong direction before plunging into the lake. 

He rushed to the scene with three fellow fishermen and helped to open the rear door by smashing it with a rowing oar which helped passengers seated towards the rear of the plane to be rescued. 

Mr Jackson then moved to the front and dived into the water. He and one of the pilots then communicated by making signs through the cockpit window.

"He directed me to break the window screen. I emerged from the water and asked airport security, who had arrived if they had any tools we could use 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 communicating with the pilots, and there was no water leakage in the cockpit," Mr Jackson said.

He added that after being stopped, he "dived back and waved goodbye to the pilot". 

But the pilot then indicated that he still wanted to be rescued.

"He pointed out the cockpit emergency door to me. I swam back up and took a rope and tied it to the door, and we tried to pull it with other boats, but the rope broke and hit me in the face and knocked me unconscious. The next thing I know, I was here at the hospital," Mr Jackson said. 

Both pilots are among the 19 confirmed fatalities after the plane - operated by Precision Air, Tanzania's most significant private airline - crashed near the shore of the lake.