Update (0640 EST): Malawi President Chakwera has confirmed VP Chilima’s death.
#BREAKING
Vice President Saulos Chilima has died.President Lazarus Chakwera has confirmed this in a televised address adding that nobody in the plane which crashed in Chikangawa forest in Mzimba has survived.#CFMNews#Malawi pic.twitter.com/w8vKfUsSKQ
— Capital FM Malawi (@CapitalFMMw) June 11, 2024
As this publication reported yesterday, an aircraft carrying the Malawian Vice President went missing at approximately 1100 EST on June 10th, 2024.
BREAKING: A plane carrying Vice President Saulos Chilima cannot be traced, with authorities in his office and Party saying they are all looking for him.
Chilima was on his way to Mzuzu, where he was expected to connect to Nkhata Bay for the burial of the late Ralph Kasambala. pic.twitter.com/hJR2zsGiqI— NationOnline (@NationOnlineMw) June 10, 2024
As of approximately 0545 EST this morning, Malawian President Chakwera is expected to address his nation at 1200L (0600 EST). This comes after images have circulated online showing what appears to be wreckage of the VP aircraft and statements from Defense Minister Kunkuyu that the aircraft had still not been found at 0330 EST this morning.
Breaking: President Lazarus Chakwera is expected to address the nation at 12 pm today amid unconfirmed reports that the plane has been found and there may not be survivors. pic.twitter.com/t2iLQyj0ig
— NationOnline (@NationOnlineMw) June 11, 2024
Local media has claimed Vice President Chilima is deceased along with the nine other passenger and crew on the Dornier 228 twin-turboprop STOL-capable utility aircraft.
BREAKING: #Malawi plane wreckage located. No survivors. President Lazarus Chakwera addressing the nation shortly
— Emmanuel Igunza (@EmmanuelIgunza) June 11, 2024
The United States offered the Malawian government use of a DoD C-12 aircraft to look for the aircraft, but it is unclear if the offer was accepted. South Africa and Zimbabwe also offered assistance in the search.
Malawi officially the Republic of Malawi and formerly known as Nyasaland, is a landlocked country in Southeastern Africa.
The government handling of this situation is reminiscent of the loss of the Kenyan Chief of Defense on April 18th, 2024, in which it took the government more than six hours to make any statement on his fatal helicopter crash.
