By Akinsuroju Olubunmi
Wreckage of missing Malawi VP’s plane found with no survivors
Malawian searchers have located the wreckage of a plane carrying Vice President Saulos Chilima, a military source confirmed on Tuesday. The aircraft went missing in bad weather and failed to land in the northern city of Mzuzu due to poor visibility. The military plane, which also had nine other passengers on board, was instructed to return to the capital, Lilongwe. Unfortunately, there were no survivors in the wreckage. President Lazarus Chakwera was expected to address the nation, and it remains unclear if there were any survivors.
Photographs shared by a member of the military rescue team showed army personnel near debris bearing the registration number of the Malawi Army Air Wing Dornier 228-202K aircraft. The search effort involved assistance from other countries, including helicopters and drones, to comb the fog-cloaked forest where the plane disappeared.
The group, including the Vice President and former first lady Shanil Dzimbiri, was en route to attend the funeral of a former cabinet minister in Mzuzu. Saulos Chilima, a widely admired figure in Malawi, had faced challenges in his role, including being stripped of his powers in 2022 due to graft charges, which were later dropped, allowing him to resume his official duties.
– Malawi VP
– Plane Wreckage
Wreckage of missing Malawi VP’s plane found with no survivors