Lilongwe, June 11, 2024 — Malawi’s Vice President Saulos Chilima has tragically died in a plane crash, President Lazarus Chakwera announced on Tuesday. The wreckage of the military aircraft carrying Chilima and nine others was discovered in a mist-shrouded forest, confirming no survivors.
The Dornier 228-202K aircraft, operated by the Malawi Army Air Wing, disappeared on Monday after failing to land in the northern city of Mzuzu due to adverse weather conditions. The plane was instructed to return to the capital, Lilongwe, but lost contact shortly thereafter.
Photographs shared by the military rescue team depict army personnel standing amidst debris on a foggy slope, the wreckage identifiable by its registration number. “The search and rescue team have found the aircraft… completely destroyed with no survivors, as all passengers on board were killed on impact,” President Chakwera said in a national address.
“Words cannot describe how heartbreaking this is,” Chakwera continued, calling the incident a “terrible tragedy.” The nation mourns the loss of Vice President Chilima, 51, who was a prominent figure in Malawian politics.
Rescue teams had been diligently searching the fog-cloaked forest south of Mzuzu on Tuesday, guided by the plane’s last known transmission. The search operation received international assistance, with neighboring countries providing helicopters and drones, according to Army Commander General Paul Valentino Phiri.
The loss of Vice President Chilima and the others aboard marks a somber moment for Malawi. As the country grapples with this devastating news, President Chakwera emphasized the profound impact of this tragedy on the nation, urging Malawians to come together in this time of mourning.