Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera has confirmed the death of Vice President Saulos Chilima in a plane crash.
Reports indicate that Chilima chose to fly to expedite his return to Lilongwe by 5 PM to see off President Chakwera, who was scheduled to depart for The Bahamas and Switzerland. However, at approximately 10:50 AM, the ground crew was informed by the plane that it would be impossible to land in Mzuzu due to bad weather. The crew was advised to return to base, which was the last communication received from the aircraft.
President Chakwera, upon learning of the plane’s disappearance from radar last night, ordered the Malawi Defence Forces to investigate and report back. After being briefed, he directed the Defence Forces and aviation authorities to initiate a search and rescue mission, also seeking assistance from neighboring countries and partners like the US and the UK.
The Crash Area: Chikangawa Forest
Chikangawa Forest, where the plane is feared to have crashed, is an extensive area covering over 50,000 hectares, filled with dense trees, vegetation, and wild animals—roughly the size of 100,000 football pitches. Established in 1964 and planted with exotic pines, it is one of the largest man-made forests in Africa. The vast area, compounded by the current wet weather, has significantly hampered search efforts, particularly during the night of Monday when the Defence Forces reportedly had to suspend their search due to challenging conditions. However, Chakwera ordered the MDF to continue with the search overnight.
Malawi24 will keep you updated!
