The aircraft carrying the late Vice-President Saulos Chilima did not appear to be flying normally shortly before it disappeared, according to a witness who saw it on June 10, 2024.
Colrerd Nkosi, an electrician, told the committee investigating the crash that he watched the aircraft moving up and down as it flew towards Mzuzu.
Nkosi said he was working in his garden that afternoon when the sound of an aircraft caught his attention.
“While I was at the garden, I heard the sound of an aircraft. Although I could hear it, I could not see the plane, which made me curious. I then decided to move to higher ground, where I was able to see the aircraft,” he said.
He told the committee that the aircraft appeared to be coming from the Kasangazi direction as it travelled from Lilongwe towards Mzuzu.
According to Nkosi, its movement appeared unusual.
“Its movement was unusual because it appeared to be flying up and down. We saw the aircraft from our side, while people on the other side also saw it,” he said.
Nkosi said the aircraft also appeared to have deployed its landing gear, giving him the impression that it was preparing to land.
He clarified remarks he previously made in a video circulating on social media, saying his reference to the aircraft having “released its legs” was about the landing gear.
He said he had struggled to express himself correctly at the time.
Nkosi further told the committee that the aircraft later changed direction and appeared to gain and lose altitude during the turn.
He eventually lost sight of it because of fog, although he said visibility in his area remained relatively clear because there were no trees obstructing his view.
After the aircraft passed, Nkosi proceeded to a nearby school where he was scheduled to work.
He said teachers at the school also told him they had seen the aircraft.
Nkosi said he finished his work at around 3pm and returned home without knowing that anything had gone wrong.
It was only after checking his phone and accessing Facebook that he learned that the aircraft carrying Chilima and other passengers had gone missing.
The aircraft crashed in the Chikangawa Forest, killing Chilima and all eight other people on board.
