On June 10, 2024, a military aircraft carrying Malawi’s Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima and nine others, including former first lady Shanil Dzimbiri, crashed in severe weather conditions in northern Malawi. The wreckage of the Dornier 228-202K aircraft, missing since Monday morning, was discovered in the Chikangawa Forest, as disclosed by President Lazarus Chakwera on Tuesday.
Chilima, a potential candidate for the upcoming presidential election, had recently returned from the Korea-Africa summit in South Korea. He was heading to the funeral of a former justice minister in Mzuzu at the time of the crash. The aircraft took off from Lilongwe at 9:17 a.m. but was unable to land at Mzuzu airport due to low visibility. Attempts to redirect the plane to Lilongwe failed when communication was lost and the aircraft disappeared from radar.
“I am heartbroken to announce that this has ended in a dreadful tragedy. The search and rescue team located the aircraft near a hill, completely destroyed with no survivors,” reported President Chakwera during a national address. He confirmed that all passengers died upon impact, and their remains are being transported back to the capital by the military.
Despite the aircraft’s reliable history and the crew’s experience, the flight to Lilongwe went awry, resulting in a devastating crash.
“Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima was a good man, a dedicated father and husband, a patriotic citizen who served his nation with distinction, and a formidable vice president,” Chakwera said.
Shared images online show security and rescue personnel at the crash site with debris surrounding the plane’s tail section. Reuters could not verify the authenticity of these images.
Chilima, 51, was a former director of Airtel Malawi and the leader of the United Transformation Movement party. He joined Chakwera to form the ruling Tonse Alliance and was his running mate in their victorious 2020 election. However, as the 2025 presidential election approached, their relationship soured, prompting speculations of Chilima challenging Chakwera.
In 2022, Chilima was arrested on corruption charges, which were dropped last month after the director of public prosecutions filed a notice to discontinue the case. He consistently claimed his innocence during the course of the proceedings.
President Chakwera has declared a national day of mourning in honor of the crash victims. The remains of Chilima and the other victims were transported to Lilongwe.
International cooperation was crucial to the search and rescue operations, with countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Israel, and Norway contributing specialized technologies. The U.S. Embassy in Lilongwe expressed deep concern and offered all available assistance, including a Defense C-12 aircraft.
The crash plunged Malawi into mourning, with countless citizens expressing their grief and condolences. “Dr. Chilima was widely loved, particularly among the youth,” according to reports from AFP news agency.
Chilima is survived by his wife, Mary, and their two children, Sean and Elizabeth.
