Malawi Vice President Saulos Chilima Killed In Plane Crash

Malawi’s Vice President Saulos Chilima was tragically killed in a plane crash, the nation’s President Lazarus Chakwera confirmed on Tuesday.

The wreckage of the aircraft was discovered in a foggy forest, bringing an end to the search that began after the plane disappeared on Monday.

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The military plane, carrying Chilima, 51, and nine others, vanished after failing to land in the northern city of Mzuzu due to adverse weather conditions. The aircraft was directed to return to the capital, Lilongwe, but it never made it.

President Chakwera addressed the nation, stating, “The search and rescue team have found the aircraft completely destroyed with no survivors, as all passengers on board were killed on impact.”

Photographs shared with AFP by a member of the military rescue team revealed army personnel standing on a foggy slope near the debris, which bore the registration number of the Malawi Army Air Wing Dornier 228-202K aircraft.

The search team combed through the forest south of Mzuzu, where the plane last transmitted its location.

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Malawi’s army commander, General Paul Valentino Phiri, mentioned that other countries, including Malawi’s neighbours, had provided support for the search effort, which included helicopters and drones.

The group departed Lilongwe just after 9 am (7 am GMT) on Monday to attend the funeral of a former cabinet minister in Mzuzu, approximately 370 kilometres (230 miles) away.

President Chakwera described the accident as a “terrible tragedy,” adding, “Words cannot describe how heartbreaking this is.” The nation now grieves the loss of a prominent leader, and preparations for a state funeral are underway.