LILONGWE, Malawi – The Malawi government announced on Wednesday that Vice President Saulos Chilima, who tragically lost his life in a plane crash along with eight others, will be honored with a state funeral.
The small military plane carrying Chilima and former first lady Shanil Dzimbiri was discovered in a mountainous area in the country’s north, prompting President Lazarus Chakwera to declare 21 days of national mourning, which began on Tuesday.
During this period, flags will be flown at half-staff across the nation as a mark of respect.
The government has also revealed that President Chakwera has appointed a ministerial committee to oversee preparations for Chilima’s state funeral. However, as of now, no specific date has been announced for the funeral service.
Initially, President Chakwera mentioned that there were 10 people on the plane, but the government has now clarified that there were nine individuals on board at the time of the crash.
All nine were killed on impact when the twin-propeller aircraft went down in a hilly, forested area during bad weather. The victims included former first lady Shanil Dzimbiri, the ex-wife of former Malawian President Bakili Muluzi, six passengers, and three military crew members.
The plane was carrying Chilima and members of his staff on a short flight from the capital, Lilongwe, to the northern city of Mzuzu to attend the funeral of a former government minister when it went missing Monday morning. Air traffic controllers had advised the plane not to land in Mzuzu due to bad weather and poor visibility, instructing it to return to Lilongwe. The plane then lost contact with air traffic control and disappeared from radar.
A massive search operation involving hundreds of soldiers, police officers, and forest rangers was launched and continued for over 24 hours before the wreckage was discovered in a forest plantation south of Mzuzu.
On Tuesday night, the remains of the victims were brought back to Lilongwe on a Zambian Air Force helicopter. Officials and mourners, including President Chakwera and Chilima’s wife, Mary, gathered at the airport to pay their respects. The bodies were then transported from the airport in ambulances as soldiers lined the tarmac and saluted.
