The government of Malawi has confirmed that Vice President Saulos Chilima and nine others have died after the aircraft they were on did not reach its destination and crashed over land.
In a statement released by Colleen Zamba, Secretary to the President, the search and rescue operation for the Malawi Defence Force aircraft that went missing on Monday, June 10, 2024, has ended in tragedy.
The aircraft, carrying the Vice President, the Right Honourable Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima, and nine others, was found this morning in the Chikangawa forest. All on board have tragically lost their lives in the crash.
The search and rescue operation was launched immediately after the aircraft went off the radar, with various agencies, including the Malawi Defence Force, the Police Service, and the Department of Civil Aviation, working tirelessly to locate the missing plane.
President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera has been informed of the tragic outcome and has expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the Vice President and all those who have lost their lives in this tragic incident. The President has declared a national day of mourning and ordered that all flags fly at half-mast from today until the funeral day.