Malawi’s. President Lazarus Chakwera has announced on Tuesday the death of the Vice President Saulos Chilima and nine others who where involved in a plane crash at a foggy forest.
The military plane carrying Chilima, and nine others disappeared on Monday, after it failed to land in the northern city of Mzuzu due to bad weather and was told to return to the capital, Lilongwe.
The President while Addressing the nation said, “The search and rescue team have found the aircraft … completely destroyed with no survivors, as all passengers on board were killed on impact.
“Words cannot describe how heartbreaking this is, it is a terrible tragedy.”
“Despite the track record of the aircraft and the experience of the crew, something terrible went wrong with that aircraft on its flight back to Lilongwe, sending it crashing down,” he said.
“Chilima was a good man, a devoted father and husband, a patriotic citizen who served his country with distinction and a formidable vice president,” Chakwera said.
“I consider it one of the greatest honours of my life to have had him as my deputy and counsellor for the past four years.”
The group departed just after 9:00 am (0700 GMT) from Lilongwe on Monday to attend the funeral of a former cabinet minister some 370 kilometres (230 miles) away in Mzuzu.
Malawi’s former first lady Shanil Dzimbiri was also on board.
