ATR42 down in Lake Victoria, at least 19 dead
 

https://www.reuters.com/world/africa...ia-2022-11-06/

Witness said the plane was flying "unsteadily" as it approached the airport in poor visibility.

The plane was submerged with just the top of the wing and tail extending from the water. The lake is just past the airport.

We all know how erroneous initial reports from crash sites are, but this is a really strange one: The two pilots initially survived the crash and were in touch with rescue workers before reporting that their oxygen supply was dwindling. They were dead when rescue workers reached them. It sounds like they were sitting under water breathing O2? I don't think it works that way.

If they had the mask on constant pressure it could have kept the water pushed out of the breathing chamber.

Yes it would work. That's how both the O2 masks and SCUBA works, regulator holds very slightly below ambient, and then when you inhale it tips the balance and flows. Full flow would work too.

If I’m not mistaken the ATR has a cockpit escape hatch.
Once flooded the pressure is equalized.

-8 does and looks similar...don't know about the ATR.

Lake Victoria has a lot of very big crocodiles.

Whether the crew elected to stay put underwater is speculative, but how did they manage to communicate with their electronics submerged?

Assuming that's correct reporting, I imagine using an antenna on top. Don't know where the radio racks are but batteries will provide power for a good while when submerged, especially in fresh water, especially at low voltages (such as 28VDC). Remotely possible that they could still talk using the mask mics while submerged if nothing shorted out.

Personally I would have spent the time and energy escaping, even with crocs, but I'm also a very good swimmer and pro diver. Could be they simply didn't know how to swim... people from areas where the natural bodies of water are infested with dangerous mega-fauna often don't.

Some say they would rather stay in bed rather than risk falling on the way to the bathroom. Pooping in bed has less risk associated it in the immediate term.