Malawi declares 21 days of mourning after Vice President dies in plane crash

Img source: abcnews.go.com

June 12, 2024 Story by: Editor

Malawi – Following the tragic death of Vice President Saulos Chilima and eight others in a plane crash, Malawi has declared a state funeral and a 21-day period of national mourning.

The announcement was made on Tuesday by President Lazarus Chakwera after the plane carrying nine individuals was found wrecked, with no survivors. The aircraft had encountered bad weather and vanished on Monday.

Over 24 hours of intensive searching by hundreds of soldiers, police officers, and forest rangers led to the discovery of the wreckage in a forest plantation near Mzuzu, a city in northern Malawi.

The remains of the victims were subsequently transported to the capital, Lilongwe. Mourners, including President Chakwera and Chilima’s wife, gathered at the airport as the bodies arrived, with soldiers lining the tarmac in salute.

A date for the state funeral has yet to be set. However, President Chakwera has appointed a ministerial committee to oversee the funeral preparations, according to a government statement.

Workers load a Zambia Air Force AB-212 helicopter with body bags believed to be those of Malawi’s Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima and nine others, including former first lady Shanil Dzimbiri, after they died when the military plane they were travelling in crashed in Lilongwe, Malawi, June 11, 2024. ZAMBIA AIR FORCE/Handout via REUTERS.

During the mourning period, flags will be flown at half-staff nationwide in honor of Chilima, who was seen as a potential candidate for the upcoming elections next year.

Among the victims were former first lady Shanil Dzimbiri and the ex-wife of former Malawian President Bakili Muluzi.

The President confirmed in a live broadcast on Tuesday that all six passengers and three military crew members perished upon impact when the plane crashed in the hilly, forested area.

Air traffic controllers had advised against landing in Mzuzu due to bad weather and poor visibility, instructing the plane to return to Lilongwe. However, contact was lost, and the plane disappeared from radar. For more information, visit Malawi Government’s official website.