Malawian Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima and nine others on board a military aircraft have been reported killed. The plane carrying the VP and others went missing on Monday, President Lazarus Chakwera said on Tuesday.
According to report the aircraft carrying Chilima, 51, left the capital Lilongwe at 09:17 a.m. (0717 GMT) on Monday. But the plane was unable to land at Mzuzu Airport as scheduled at 10:02 a.m. due to poor visibility.
The plane was ordered to return to the capital but went off the radar. Efforts to track the plane by aviation authorities could not make any contact with it.
Speaking on the development, President Chakwera said, “I’m deeply saddened. I’m sorry to inform you all that it has turn out to be a terrible tragedy.
“The search and rescue team has found the aircraft near a hill… They have found it completely destroyed with no survivors,” Chakwera, said.
Addressing his country on the unfortunate incident, Chakwera said the crash site was in a mountainous part of the Chikangawa Forest.
The deceased Vice President was seen as a potential candidate in next year’s presidential election.
According to report, Chilima was arrested in 2022 over graft allegations.
However, a Malawian court dropped the charges against him last month. That was after the director of public prosecutions filed a notice for the case to be discontinued.
The dead VP had denied wrongdoing and was hopeful of contesting in next year presidential elections.
