Tragic Plane Crash Claims Lives of Malawi’s Vice President and Others
In a devastating incident, Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima of Malawi, along with nine others, lost their lives in a plane crash, as confirmed by President Lazarus Chakwera on Tuesday.
The ill-fated military aircraft, ferrying Chilima, a prominent figure considered a frontrunner for the upcoming presidential election, vanquished from radar on Monday.
“My heart aches as I share this dreadful news. We’ve encountered a heartbreaking tragedy. The search and rescue teams located the wreckage near a hill, utterly destroyed and devoid of any survivors,” Chakwera expressed solemnly during a national address.
The aircraft departed from the capital, Lilongwe, at 9:17 a.m. local time, intending to reach Mzuzu airport by 10:02 a.m. However, it encountered poor visibility and could not land.
A directive was issued for it to return to Lilongwe, but the plane subsequently vanished from the radar, leaving aviation officials scrambling for answers.
The President assured that all passengers perished at impact and that the military would bring their remains back to the capital.
“Despite the aircraft’s commendable history and the crew’s expertise, an unseen calamity unfolded during the flight back to Lilongwe, resulting in a catastrophic crash that has left us all in shock,” he stated.
Chilima, aged 51, was embroiled in controversy when he was arrested in 2022 over corruption allegations. Nevertheless, a court dismissed all charges against him last month following a notice from the director of public prosecutions to terminate the case. Chilima steadfastly maintained his innocence.
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