…says flight recorder was not mandatory
Defence Minister Feston Kaupa has told Parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating the Chikangawa aircraft crash that, according to reports he has seen, the Dornier 228 aircraft involved in the accident did not have a black box.
Kaupa, however, stressed that he was not making the statement from personal knowledge, saying he was not present when the aircraft crashed and could only rely on reports available to him.
“The reports that I’ve seen are saying that the black box was not there,” Kaupa told the committee.
He added: “Because I wasn’t there, I cannot confirm that this aircraft specifically did not have a black box.”
Kaupa was responding to questions from lawmakers about public speculation that the flight recorder may have been removed from the aircraft after the crash that killed Vice President Saulos Chilima and eight others.
The minister explained that military aircraft, classified as state aircraft, are not subject to the same requirements as civilian aircraft and that having a black box is not mandatory under the international aviation framework he referred to.
He told the committee that the aircraft was a military aircraft and that, under the , state aircraft are treated differently from commercial aircraft in terms of some aviation requirements.
The issue of the black box has been a subject of public debate since the June 10, 2024 crash, with questions raised over whether the device existed and whether it was recovered after the accident.
Kaupa’s testimony shifted the discussion from allegations of a missing or removed flight recorder to broader questions about safety standards for military aviation, including whether Malawi should require additional safety equipment on aircraft used for high-profile missions.
Members of the committee also questioned whether the Ministry of Defence had received recommendations for the Malawi Defence Force to install flight recorders on its aircraft, especially those used for VIP transport.
The committee continues to examine the aircraft’s operation, maintenance, safety procedures and accountability structures surrounding the crash.
