Malawi Vice President Saulos Chilima Died in Plane Crash
Malawi’s Vice President Saulos Chilima tragically died in a plane crash, the nation’s President Lazarus Chakwera announced on Tuesday. The wreckage of the military aircraft was found in a foggy forest, leaving no survivors.
The Tragic Incident
The military plane carrying Vice President Chilima, 51, and nine others vanished on Monday. The aircraft failed to land in Mzuzu due to bad weather and was instructed to return to Lilongwe, the capital. The search and rescue team found the aircraft wholly destroyed with no survivors, President Chakwera confirmed in a national address. “Words cannot describe how heartbreaking this is,” he said, calling it a “tragedy.”
Search and Rescue Efforts
A military rescue team member shared photographs from the crash site, showing army personnel amidst debris on a foggy slope. The plane’s registration number matched the Malawi Army Air Wing Dornier 228-202K aircraft. Rescuers had been searching a foggy forest south of Mzuzu, where the plane last transmitted a signal.
Army commander General Paul Valentino Phiri mentioned that neighboring countries had assisted in the search with helicopters and drones. The group departed from Lilongwe around 9:00 am on Monday to attend the funeral of a former cabinet minister in Mzuzu, 370 kilometers away.
Details of the Flight
Malawi’s former first lady, Shanil Dzimbiri, was also on board the flight. President Chakwera revealed that he had flown on the same aircraft for similar trips. The crew had successfully operated the plane just hours before the crash. “Despite the aircraft’s track record and the crew’s experience, something went wrong,” he said.
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Remembering Saulos Chilima
Elected vice president in 2014, Saulos Chilima was a charismatic and stern-talking leader, beloved by many, especially young people. However, in 2022, during his second term, Chilima was stripped of his powers after being arrested and charged with corruption involving a British-Malawian businessman. Last month, a Malawian court dropped the charges, allowing him to resume his official duties.
President Chakwera honored Chilima, saying, “Chilima was a good man, a devoted father and husband, a patriotic citizen who served his country with distinction, and a formidable vice president. I consider it one of the greatest honors of my life to have had him as my deputy and counselor for the past four years.”