In a devastating blow to Malawi, Vice President Saulos Chilima and nine others perished when the small military plane they were traveling on crashed in a remote, mountainous region. President Lazarus Chakwera delivered the solemn news on Tuesday after over 24 hours of intensive search efforts located the wreckage near the northern city of Mzuzu.
The crash site painted a grim scene – the aircraft was “completely destroyed” according to Chakwera, with no survivors from the impact in the rugged, forested Viphya Mountains. In addition to 51-year-old Chilima, the victims included former first lady Shanil Dzimbiri among the seven passengers and three military crew.
“Words cannot describe how heartbreaking this is,” a visibly shaken Chakwera told the nation. He lauded Chilima as “a good man, a devoted father and husband, a patriotic citizen who served his country with distinction, and a formidable vice president.”
The group had been en route to Mzuzu from the capital Lilongwe on Monday morning to attend a funeral when air traffic control raised concerns about poor weather conditions. The plane was instructed not to land and to return to Lilongwe, but contact was lost shortly after.
A massive search operation involving 600 personnel – soldiers, police, and forest rangers – combed the vast, densely wooded area. The U.S., U.K., Norway, and Israel provided support, including specialized technologies to aid the effort.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation, but Chilima’s political party criticized the government’s perceived slow response and lack of a transponder on the aging Dornier 228 turboprop plane from 1988.
The stunning tragedy marks an immense loss for the impoverished southern African nation of 21 million. Chilima, who turned 51 this month, had served as Vice President since 2020 as the running mate to President Chakwera after a historic election rerun. Their alliance followed Malawi’s unprecedented annulment of the 2019 election over irregularities.
Prior to joining Chakwera’s administration, Chilima had been Vice President from 2014-2019 under former President Peter Mutharika, finishing third in the 2019 vote itself. He had more recently faced corruption allegations over improperly awarded government contracts, though charges were dropped last month.
As Malawi mourns Chilima and the eight other casualties, including the crew, questions will likely arise about the safety of the nation’s aging military aircraft. But for now, grief and somber remembrance take precedence.
President Chakwera’s call for a moment of silence embodied the national tragedy, as he bowed his head at the podium in honor of the dedicated public servant and “patriotic citizen” whose life was cut short under tragic circumstances in Malawi’s remote highlands.