Malawian Vice President Dies in a Missing Plane Crash

The Malawi’s Vice President Saulos Chilima has been killed in a plane crash along with nine other passengers. The country’s President Lazarus Chakwera announced on Tuesday.

The aircraft had gone missing after it failed to land at the Mzuzu International Airport, about 380 km (240 miles) to the north of the capital Lilongwe. The wreckage of the plane has been located, Chakwera said in an address to the nation.

Chakwera said. “The search and rescue operation I ordered to find the missing plane that carried our vice president and nine others has been completed. The plane has been found. And I am deeply saddened and sorry to inform you that it has turned out to be a terrible tragedy,”

The Malawian leader disclosed that the aircraft was found. “Completely destroyed” near a hill in the Chikangawa Forest in northern Malawi. Adding that “words cannot describe how heartbreaking this is.”

Chakwera paid tribute to his deputy, describing him as “a good man, a devoted father and husband, (and) a patriotic citizen who served his country with distinction.”

“His passing is a terrible loss to his wife, Mary, his family, his friends, his colleagues in the cabinet and to all of us as a nation.” Chakwera said in his address from the Malawian capital. The president also mourned the loss of the other passengers onboard.

The Malawian leader highlighted the tragic nature of the accident, telling journalists that he had himself previously traveled on the same aircraft.

“Yet despite the track record of the aircraft and the experience of the crew, something terrible went wrong with that aircraft. on its flight back to Lilongwe,” he added.

The Aircraft Went Missing on Monday

On Monday evening. The president had told journalists that air traffic control had advised the vice president’s plane against trying to land. And recommended turning back to the capital due to poor visibility. Not long after, the authorities lost contact with the aircraft, and started a search operation.

Earlier today being Tuesday, the Malawi Defence Force said it had deployed drones and at least 200 soldiers. They searched for the plane at the Chikangawa Forest reserve where signals of its whereabouts were last received.

Rescue operations were said to have been delayed by bad weather conditions, according to the Force Commander Paul Valentino Phiri.

The vice president and nine other victims will all be laid to rest in “a dignified manner.” Chakwera said, adding that an effort is already underway to transport their remains to capital.

Chilima, aged 51, notably arrived back in Malawi on June 6 after attending the Korea-Africa Summit in Seoul last week. Initially, he served as deputy to former President Peter Mutharika from 2014 to 2019. Subsequently, he was sworn in as vice president for a second term in 2020. Moreover, as an economist, Chilima had previously headed Airtel Malawi, marking a significant achievement as the first Malawian to lead the telecommunications company.

“I consider it one of the greatest honors of my life to have had him as my deputy and counsellor for the past four years” President Chakwera said.

Late vice President Chilima is survived by his wife Mary and two children.

And may our VP Chilima rest in peace along with the nine other passengers.