Tragedy Strikes as Malawi’s Vice-President and Nine Others Perish in Plane Crash

Malawi mourns the loss of Vice-President Saulos Klaus Chilima and nine other passengers who tragically perished in a plane crash en route to Mzuzu. President Lazarus Chakwera confirmed the heartbreaking news to the nation following the plane’s disappearance on Monday.

The military aircraft carrying Mr. Chilima, 51, departed from Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe, at 9:17 am with a scheduled landing at Mzuzu airport by 10:02 am. However, poor visibility prevented the landing, prompting a return to Lilongwe. Contact was lost with the aircraft, leading to a search operation.

President Chakwera expressed deep sadness as he announced the discovery of the wreckage in the mountainous Chikangawa Forest, where all onboard lost their lives. Among the passengers was former first lady Shanil Dzimbiri, ex-wife of former president Bakili Muluzi, along with seven other passengers and three military crew members.

The group was en route to Mzuzu to pay their respects at a funeral for a former government minister. Vice-President Chilima, a prominent figure in Malawi’s political landscape, had recently been cleared of corruption charges after facing allegations of influencing government contracts.

Mr. Chilima, a candidate in the 2019 Malawian presidential election, was instrumental in the historic election rerun of 2020, which saw President Chakwera emerge victorious. Their victory marked a significant moment in African political history.

Malawi, a landlocked country in southeast Africa, is bordered by Tanzania, Lake Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, and the Viphya mountain range. Mzuzu, the capital of the northern region, is known for its hilly, forested terrain and lies near the Viphya mountains with extensive pine tree plantations.

The aviation tragedy has sent shockwaves through the nation, leaving Malawians and the international community in mourning for the lives lost in this devastating incident.