Lilongwe, (11 June 2024) – Tragedy struck Malawi on Monday as a plane carrying Vice President Saulos Chilima, his wife, and eight other passengers crashed, resulting in the loss of all lives on board. The office of Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera confirmed the devastating news on Tuesday morning and announced a national day of mourning to honor the victims.

The aircraft, operated by the Malawi Defense Force, went off radar shortly after departing from the capital, Lilongwe, on Monday morning. The plane was en route to Mzuzu International Airport in the northern region of the country, where Vice President Chilima was set to pay his respects at the burial of former Minister Ralph Kasambara, who had passed away three days prior.

President Chakwera expressed profound sorrow over the incident, stating, "This is a heartbreaking situation for our nation. We have lost not only our Vice President but also several other esteemed citizens."

According to a senior military official, initial investigations suggest that the aircraft likely crashed in the Chikangawa Forest, though the exact crash site had not been pinpointed at the time of reporting. The cause of the crash remains unknown, and authorities have launched a thorough investigation to determine the factors that led to the tragedy.

Vice President Chilima, 51, had been a prominent figure in Malawian politics since 2014. Before his political career, he held executive positions at multinational corporations such as Unilever and Coca-Cola. Chilima was described on the government’s website as an efficient, hardworking, and successful leader. He is survived by his two children.

Chilima had faced legal troubles in 2022 when he was accused of accepting bribes for government contracts. However, the charges were dismissed by the court last month without any explanation.

This tragic incident has left the nation in mourning and raised concerns about aviation safety. The President has canceled his planned trip to the Bahamas in light of the tragedy and has pledged to provide updates as the investigation progresses.

Authorities are now focused on recovering the wreckage and uncovering the cause behind the tragic crash, as Malawi mourns the loss of one of its top leaders and the other passengers who perished in the accident.