Search and rescue operation for Malawi Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima have ended after all occupants of the plane carrying them were found dead.
The wreckage of the ill-fated plane was located on Tuesday, June 11, after a search mission involving the country’s military personnel.
The President of Malawi Lazarus Chakwera made the announcement detailing that plane was found completely shuttered next to a hill in Chikangawa forest.
“They have found it completely shattered with no survivors as all passengers died on impact. Words cannot describe how heartbreaking this is, and I can only imagine how you all must be feeling at this time.
“I know that going through a terrible loss like this makes us feel helpless and lost as death has a way of reminding us that we do not have control over so many things that are affecting us and those we love.
“The people who perished in this tragic and terrible accident could have been any one of us. Something went wrong with that aircraft on its flight back to Lilongwe sending it crashing down and killing everyone onboard,” he said.
Vice President Saulos Chilima was travelling with nine other top government officials including the former first lady Shanil Dzimbiri at the time of the accident.
Earlier, Chakwera said that the group was traveling to attend the funeral of a former government minister, Ralph Kasambara, who had died three days earlier. Three of those onboard were the military crew flying the plane.
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Earlier Statement from Malawi Defence Forces
Earlier, Malawi Defence Force (MDF) Commander General Paul Valentino Phiri said that over 200 soldiers were on the ground, searching for the plane that Vice President Saulos Chilima and nine others were flying in.
However, he noted that the exercise was slowed down by bad weather conditions including fog in Chikangawa forest where the plane was last spotted on the radar.
Additionally, Phiri highlighted that the MDF was receiving support from neighboring countries which sent aircrafts and imagery gadgets such drones.
Also, US offers military aircraft was sent to help in the search and rescue operations of plane.
the plane was reported to have disappeared from radar after it left the capital, Lilongwe on Monday, June 10.
Reportedly, the plane carrying the 51-year-old Vice President Saulos Chilima, former first lady Shanil Dzimbiri and eight others had been expected to land 45 minutes later at Mzuzu International Airport, about 370 kilometers (230 miles) to the north.
“Air traffic control lost contact with the aircraft and it disappeared from radar a short time later,” said President Lazarus Chakwera in a live broadcast.
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Chakwera’s Earlier Statement
On Monday, June 10, President Lazarus Chakwera said in a state of the nation address that the events were heartbreaking and frightening but maintaining that there was hope to find the VP and the other occupants of the plane.
“I know this is a heartbreaking situation. I know we are all frightened and concerned. I too am concerned, but I want to assure you that I am sparing no available resource to find that plane. And I am holding onto every fiber of hope that we will find survivors.”
Malawi’s information officer, Moses Kunkuyu, said that the airport the plane was to land closest to where the funeral was taking place.
“The airport he was to land, which is in the northern part of Mzuzu, was the closest to where the funeral was taking place,” Kunkuyu said.
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