The president of Malawi announced on Tuesday that the country’s vice president, Saulos Chilima, had tragically died in a plane crash the day before. The plane carrying Mr. Chilima and nine others went missing on Monday morning, sparking a massive search and rescue operation. President Lazarus Chakwera confirmed that the wreckage had been found and there were no survivors, describing Mr. Chilima as a “good man” who had served his country with distinction. Details about the other victims were not immediately available.
The Malawian military aircraft had taken off from Lilongwe and was headed to Mzuzu, less than an hour away, when it encountered poor visibility due to bad weather. The pilot was instructed to turn back, but the aircraft disappeared from radar shortly after. The search operation took place in the Chikangawa forest, which covers a vast area and was hindered by thick fog. Nearly 200 soldiers, as well as police officers, park rangers, and Civil Aviation Authority employees, were involved in the effort. Assistance was also sought from other governments, with the U.S. Embassy providing a C-12 aircraft and neighboring countries and countries like Britain, Norway, and Israel offering technological support.
Mr. Chilima, aged 51, had been a prominent figure in Malawian politics and was expected to run for president in the 2025 election. He had entered politics a decade ago after leaving his role as head of a telecommunications company. In 2014, he ran as the running mate for Peter Mutharika but had a falling out with him in 2019, accusing him of corruption and starting his own political party. Mr. Chilima and Mr. Chakwera formed a coalition after losing an election marked by irregularities and successfully challenged the result, winning a second vote in 2020.
In late 2022, Mr. Chilima was arrested over corruption accusations but the charges against him were dropped last month. The scandal had affected his image as a politician aiming to combat corruption in Malawi. Mr. Chilima was born in Malawi’s Ntcheu District and had a background in economics, earning a doctorate in knowledge management from a university in Britain. He is survived by his wife, Mary Chilima, and their two children. The nation mourned the loss of Mr. Chilima, remembering him as a dedicated public servant who had made significant contributions to the country.
