In a tragic turn of events, Malawi's Vice President Saulos Chilima, along with nine others, perished in a small military plane crash amid adverse weather conditions in a mountainous region in the north of the country, as reported by ABC News.
The unfortunate incident, which took place in the vicinity of the northern city of Mzuzu, claimed the life of the 51-year-old Vice President, who was known for his patriotism and distinguished service to the nation.
President Lazarus Chakwera, in a live broadcast on state television, revealed the discovery of the plane wreckage after an extensive search that lasted over a day. The plane, he said, was "completely destroyed" upon impact, leaving no survivors. The crash site, located in a dense forest and hilly terrain near a hill, was a testament to the severity of the crash.
"I am deeply saddened and sorry to inform you all that it has turned out to be a terrible tragedy," Chakwera stated, expressing his profound grief over the incident. He further acknowledged the heart-wrenching nature of the event, empathizing with the pain and anguish that the nation must be experiencing in the wake of this loss.
Chilima was remembered by Chakwera as "a good man, a devoted father and husband, a patriotic citizen who served his country with distinction, and a formidable Vice President." The president requested a moment of silence in honor of the deceased, standing with his head bowed at the podium during his address.
Among the victims of the crash was former first lady Shanil Dzimbiri, the ex-wife of former President Bakili Muluzi. The plane, carrying seven passengers and three military crew members, was en route to Mzuzu for the funeral of a former government minister. The Vice President had just returned from an official visit to South Korea.
The search for the missing plane, which involved hundreds of soldiers, police officers, and forest rangers, was initiated after it disappeared from radar during a 45-minute flight from the capital, Lilongwe, to Mzuzu. The aircraft, a small, propeller-driven plane operated by the Malawian armed forces, was advised not to attempt a landing at Mzuzu's airport due to poor visibility and inclement weather, according to President Chakwera.
Chilima, serving his second term as Vice President, had previously held the position from 2014-2019 under former President Peter Mutharika. He was a candidate in the 2019 Malawian presidential election, finishing third behind Mutharika and Chakwera. The election was later annulled due to irregularities, leading to an historic election rerun in 2020, when Chakwera was elected President.
Recently, Chilima had been embroiled in corruption charges over allegations of receiving money in return for influencing government procurement contracts for the Malawi armed forces and the police. These charges were dropped last month, but the case led to criticism that Chakweras administration was not taking a hard enough stance against graft.
The search for the plane, which lasted more than 24 hours, elicited an international response. Assistance was offered by the U.S., the U.K., Norway, and Israel, who provided "specialized technologies" for the search operation. However, officials from Chilimas United Transformation Movement political party criticized the government's response as slow and expressed concern over the lack of a transponder on the plane carrying a high-level delegation.
Malawi, home to around 21 million people, was ranked as the fourth poorest nation in the world by the World Bank in 2019. This tragic incident underscores the challenges faced by this developing nation, and the loss of its Vice President is a significant blow to its ongoing efforts towards progress and prosperity.
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