Parliamentary plane crash inquiry team visits Chikangawa crash site

The Parliamentary Ad-Hoc Committee investigating the June 10, 2024 plane crash has intensified its inquiry by visiting Nthungwa Forest in Chikangawa, Nkhata Bay, where the aircraft crashed, claiming the lives of everyone on board.

The visit forms part of the committee’s fact-finding mission aimed at gaining first-hand insight into the crash scene and assessing the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

Led by Chairperson Walter Nyamilandu Manda, committee members received briefings on the sequence of events leading to the discovery of the wreckage of the Dornier aircraft, as well as developments before and after the incident.

The inquiry team was joined at the site by Inspector General of Police Richard Luhanga, representing the Malawi Police Service; Secretary for Health Dr. Dan Namarika, representing the Ministry of Health; and officials from the Malawi Defence Force, Department of Civil Aviation, Fire Department, and the Red Cross.

The Chikangawa inspection follows an earlier visit to Kamuzu International Airport on Monday as part of the committee’s broader investigation.

After assessing the crash site, the committee is expected to proceed to the former command centre at Raiply before heading to Mzuzu Airport, the aircraft’s intended destination, to evaluate aviation management facilities.

The renewed inquiry seeks to establish a clearer understanding of the circumstances surrounding the crash, which claimed the lives of nine people, including former Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima.