Thu, Jun 13, 2024
Nine Others Also Lost In Military DO 228
Saulos Klaus Chilima, Vice President of Malawi, along with all nine others aboard were killed when the military aircraft transporting them went down in the dense Chikangawa forest in northern Malawi in southeast Africa.
Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera made the announcement and said he was “deeply saddened and sorry” when he addressed the Malawian people on Tuesday. The plane disappeared from radar while flying in poor weather on a flight from the capital city of Lilongwe to Mzuzu, 250 miles to the north. Chilima had been scheduled to attend the funeral of former government minister Ralph Kasambara who had died four days earlier.
The aircraft, a Malawi military Dornier 228, was attempting to land at Mzuzu Monday morning but was unable due to poor visibility and was ordered to return to Lilongwe. The Malawi Defence Force informed President Chakwera they searched the forest throughout the day and into Tuesday morning when they located the aircraft and found it completely destroyed with no survivors. More than 600 were involved in the search as well as U.S., British, Norwegian, and Israeli governments and included technologies that enhanced the search efforts. Former Malawi First Lady Shanil Dzimbiri and several military crew members were also aboard. Rescue efforts were criticized as too slow to mobilize by the United Transformation Movement, the political party founded in 2018 by Chilima.
They also question why the aircraft apparently had no transponder on board.
Although Chilima and Chakwera were members of different parties, they formed an alliance during the 2020 elections. Chakwera described Chilima as a “good man”, “devoted father”, and a “formidable VP” as he paid tribute. He also said, “I consider it one of the great honors of my life to have had him as a deputy and a counselor.” Chilima was loved and admired by the Malawians according to local media, and was thought likely to challenge Chakwera for the presidency in 2025. He was married and had two children.
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