Malawi Vice President Saulos Chilima, 51, has died in a plane crash. President Lazarus Chakwera announced that Chilima and nine other government officials perished in the crash.
Earlier, a statement from the President’s office indicated that the aircraft went off the radar shortly after leaving the capital, Lilongwe, on Monday morning.
“Despite the experience of the crew, something terrible happened to that aircraft, sending it crashing down and killing everyone on board,” Chakwera said.
Plane recovered
He stated that the rescue team found the aircraft near a hill in the mountainous part of Chikangawa forest, completely destroyed, with no survivors.
Former first lady Shanil Dzimbiri was among those killed in the crash. The group was traveling to attend the burial of former minister Ralph Kasambara, who died last week. The Malawi Defence Forces plane was scheduled to land at Mzuzu Airport at 10:00 AM yesterday when it went off radar.
“Words cannot describe how heartbreaking this is, and I can only imagine the pain and anguish you all must be feeling at this time, as well as the pain and anguish you will feel in the coming days and weeks as we mourn this terrible loss,” Chakwera said.
History of successful flights
Chakwera emphasized that the aircraft involved in the crash had an experienced crew and a history of successful flights. “Despite the track record of the aircraft and the experience of the crew, something went terribly wrong on its flight back to Lilongwe, causing it to crash and killing everyone on board,” he added.
Chilima was sworn in as vice president on June 28, 2020, for his second term. He was first sworn in as Vice President on May 30, 2014.
He had announced his intentions to run for the Office of President in the 2025 elections, where he was expected to compete against President Chakwera.
Chilima leaves behind his widow, Mary Chilima, and two children.