Malawian Vice President, 9 others confirmed dead in plane crash

Malawian Vice President Saulos Chilima and nine others have been confirmed dead after the plane they were traveling in crashed in a forested area in central Malawi on Monday.

President Lazarus Chakwera made the sorrowful announcement in a national address on Tuesday, June 11, confirming earlier fears about the fate of the missing plane.

The Vice President and other government officials and staff which included Former First Lady Shanil Dzimbiri, were traveling on a flight to attend the burial of former minister Ralph Kasambara, who had passed away four days prior.

The flight had taken off from the capital of Lilongwe, Malawi on Monday morning with the intended destination of Mzuzu Airport in the northern city.

However, due to poor visibility, the flight went off the radar as reported by the Air Force.

Dr. Saulos Chilima, aged 51, had served as Vice President of Malawi since 2014.

In 2022, he had been arrested and charged with accepting bribes in exchange for awarding government contracts.

However, last month the court dismissed the charges without providing a reason for the decision.

Dr. Chilima is survived by his wife and two children.