Plane carrying Malawi vice-president crashes; No survivors found

The wreckage of a plane carrying Malawi’s Vice-President Saulos Chilima has been found with no survivors, President Lazarus Chakwera announced Tuesday.

The military aircraft, carrying Chilima and nine others, disappeared from radar while flying in bad weather on Monday morning. The plane was en route from Lilongwe to Mzuzu when it was forced to turn back due to poor visibility.

Soldiers searched Chikangawa Forest overnight and into the morning, eventually locating the crash site.

In a news briefing, President Chakwera expressed his deep sorrow over the tragedy, stating that the rescue team found the aircraft completely destroyed.

Chakwera paid tribute to Dr. Chilima, describing him as “a good man,” “devoted father,” and “formidable VP.”

The president, who teamed up with Chilima from a different party during the 2020 elections, praised their partnership and his late deputy’s counsel.

Dr. Chilima, 51, was traveling to represent the government at the burial of former minister Ralph Kasambara. Former First Lady Shanil Dzimbiri was also on board.

The military is now transporting the remains of Dr. Chilima and the other victims to Lilongwe, with funeral arrangements to be announced soon.

Dr. Chilima had served as vice-president since 2014 and was widely loved, particularly among Malawi’s youth. He faced legal troubles in 2022 when he was arrested on allegations of accepting bribes for government contracts, but the charges were dropped last month without explanation. He is survived by his wife, Mary, and two children, Sean and Elizabeth.