Search teams in Malawi have discovered the wreckage of a plane carrying Vice President Saulos Chilima, a military source said on Tuesday.
Beyond Boders recalls that the military plane which went missing a day earlier during bad weather, had Chilima, 51, and nine others on board.
The plane which disappeared on Monday, was headed to Mzuzu in the north, but could not land due to poor visibility.
The plane was directed to return to the capital, Lilongwe, but never made it back. Sadly, there are no survivors.
Photos shared by the military rescue team show soldiers standing on a foggy hillside near the debris, which had the registration number of the Malawi Army Air Wing Dornier 228-202K aircraft.
President Lazarus Chakwera is expected to address the nation. It remains unclear if there were any survivors initially, but the current reports confirm none.
Rescue efforts had been focused on a forest south of Mzuzu, where the plane’s last signal was detected.
Moreso, Army commander General, Paul Valentino Phiri, said neighbouring countries had assisted with helicopters and drones in the search.
The group left Lilongwe at about 9:00 am on Monday to attend the funeral of a former cabinet minister in Mzuzu, about 370 kilometers (230 miles) away, with Malawi’s former first lady, Shanil Dzimbiri, also on the plane.
Chilima, first elected vice president in 2014, is a popular figure in Malawi, especially among the youth.
However, in 2022, he was arrested and charged with corruption, leading to him losing his powers. The charges were dropped last month, and he resumed his duties.
AFP
