Lilongwe, Malawi - Malawi Vice President Saulos Chilima and nine other persons, including his wife, tragically lost their lives in a devastating plane crash in the Chikangawa mountain range, according to Malawi News citing government sources.
President Lazarus Chakwera has declared Tuesday a national day of mourning, as confirmed by a statement from the Office of the President and Cabinet. The statement expressed deep sorrow, confirming that all passengers aboard the military aircraft had perished in the crash that occurred on Monday morning after takeoff from the capital, Lilongwe.
Chilima and the other passengers were en route to attend the funeral of Malawi's former attorney general when their plane reportedly disappeared from radar, CBS News reported. Air traffic officials disclosed that the aircraft encountered poor visibility conditions preventing it from landing at Mzuzu airport, located approximately 200 miles north of Lilongwe. Consequently, the pilot had been instructed to return to the capital before the flight vanished.
In a televised address on Monday night, President Chakwera assured the nation that search and rescue efforts would persist until the wreckage of Chilima's plane was located. He acknowledged the tragic nature of the incident, stating, "I know this is a heartbreaking situation, and we are all deeply worried and concerned."
Several nations, including the United States, have extended technological assistance to Malawi in the ongoing search operation, CBS News noted. The US Embassy in Lilongwe released a statement expressing deep concern over the crash and pledging "all available assistance including a Defense C-12 aircraft."
Saulos Chilima, aged 51, was viewed in Malawi as a potential candidate for the 2025 presidential election. In 2022, he faced accusations of corruption, reportedly receiving kickbacks from a businessman in exchange for government contracts. Chilima vehemently denied these charges.
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