Malawi’s Vice President Saulos Chilima, along with nine other passengers, has died in a plane crash, according to an announcement by President Lazarus Chakwera on Tuesday, as reported by CNN.
Chakwera stated, “The search and rescue mission I initiated to locate the plane carrying our vice president and nine others has concluded.
“The aircraft has been discovered, and it is with profound sorrow that I inform you that it has resulted in a devastating tragedy.”
Chilima, 51, along with nine others, including former First Lady Shanil Dzimbiri, were traveling domestically to attend the funeral of ex-government minister Ralph Kasambara, who passed away four days prior.
Their military plane, which departed from Lilongwe, vanished from airport radar screens over Chikangawa Forest, leading to a search mission to locate the aircraft.
Rescue teams had been scouring a mist-covered forest south of Mzuzu on Tuesday, after authorities identified the last communication tower the plane had connected with before it disappeared.
Army commander General Paul Valentino Phiri earlier remarked that neighboring nations, including Malawi’s, were assisting in the search effort by providing resources like helicopters and drones.
The group left Lilongwe shortly after 9:00 am (0700 GMT) on Monday to attend a former cabinet minister’s funeral, which was approximately 370 kilometers (230 miles) away in Mzuzu. Among those on board was Malawi’s former first lady, Shanil Dzimbiri.
Chakwera mentioned that he had previously used the same aircraft for similar journeys. He noted that the crew had successfully flown the plane just a few hours before the tragic incident.
“Despite the aircraft’s reliable performance history and the crew’s expertise, something went terribly awry during its return flight to Lilongwe, causing it to crash,” he stated.
