Malawian rescuers have discovered the remains of an aircraft transporting Vice President Saulos Chilima, as reported by a military source on Tuesday, following the aircraft’s disappearance amidst adverse weather conditions the day before.
The military aircraft, which carried Chilima, 51, and nine others, vanished on Monday when it was unable to land in Mzuzu due to low visibility, prompting instructions to return to Lilongwe, the capital, with no survivors found in the wreckage.
Images provided to AFP by a member of the military search team depicted soldiers situated on a misty incline near wreckage displaying the identifying number of the Malawi Army Air Wing Dornier 228-202K plane.
President Lazarus Chakwera was scheduled to deliver a national address, though it remained uncertain whether any individuals survived the incident.
Search teams had been scouring a fog-enveloped woodland south of Mzuzu on Tuesday, following the identification of the final transmission tower before the plane vanished.
Earlier, military leader General Paul Valentino Phiri mentioned that other nations, including neighboring countries of Malawi, had been supporting the search mission, offering assistance such as helicopters and drones.
The group embarked on their journey just after 9:00 am (0700 GMT) from Lilongwe on Monday to attend the funeral of a former cabinet minister approximately 370 kilometers (230 miles) away in Mzuzu.
Shanil Dzimbiri, Malawi’s ex-first lady, was also a passenger on the flight.
Initially elected as vice president in 2014, the affable yet resolute Chilima enjoys widespread popularity in Malawi, particularly among the youth.
However, in 2022, during his second tenure in the position, Chilima was stripped of his authority following an arrest and charges of corruption related to a bribery scandal involving a British-Malawian entrepreneur.
The charges were dropped by a Malawian court last month, allowing him to resume his official responsibilities.
