Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera announced that the wreckage of the plane carrying Vice President Saulos Chilima and nine others has been found, with no survivors.
In a televised address, President Chakwera said, “The plane has been found, and I am deeply saddened and sorry to inform you all that it has turned out to be a terrible tragedy.”
The military plane, which went missing on Monday due to bad weather, was discovered in a forest south of Mzuzu. The aircraft had failed to land in Mzuzu because of poor visibility and was instructed to return to the capital, Lilongwe. The wreckage was located a day later by Malawian search teams.
Photos shared by a member of the military rescue team showed army personnel standing on a foggy slope near the debris of the Malawi Army Air Wing Dornier 228-202K aircraft, identifiable by its registration number.
Rescuers had been searching the fog-covered forest after authorities pinpointed the last tower the plane transmitted to before disappearing. Army Commander General Paul Valentino Phiri mentioned that neighboring countries had aided in the search effort, providing helicopters and drones.
The plane took off just after 9:00 am (0700 GMT) from Lilongwe, heading to Mzuzu for the funeral of a former cabinet minister. Among the passengers was Malawi’s former first lady, Shanil Dzimbiri.
Vice President Saulos Chilima, who was first elected in 2014, was a charismatic and stern-talking figure, widely loved in Malawi, especially among the youth. In 2022, during his second term, Chilima was stripped of his powers after being arrested and charged with graft in a bribery scandal involving a British-Malawian businessman. However, the charges were dropped last month, and he had resumed his official duties.
The nation mourns as it comes to terms with this tragic loss.
