The Malawi government announced on Wednesday that Vice President Saulos Chilima will receive a state funeral following his tragic death in a plane crash, which also claimed the lives of eight others.
President Lazarus Chakwera declared 21 days of national mourning on Tuesday, the same day the wreckage of the military aircraft was found in a mountainous region in northern Malawi.
The crash site, located in a hilly, forested area, revealed the grim reality of the incident.
Chilima, 51, had served as vice president since 2014, initially under former President Peter Mutharika. Along with Chilima, former first lady Shanil Dzimbiri, ex-wife of former President Bakili Muluzi, was also among the victims.
The ill-fated twin-propeller plane was en route from the capital, Lilongwe, to Mzuzu for a funeral when it disappeared on Monday morning. Despite being advised by air traffic controllers to return to Lilongwe due to bad weather and poor visibility, the plane continued its journey and subsequently lost contact, vanishing from radar.
The crash resulted in the deaths of six passengers and three military crew members, contrary to earlier reports stating there were ten people on board. The exhaustive search operation involved hundreds of soldiers, police officers, and forest rangers, culminating in the discovery of the wreckage after more than 24 hours.
The victims’ remains were transported back to Lilongwe on a Zambian Air Force helicopter on Tuesday night, marking a sombre moment for the grieving nation.
