Malawi’s Vice-President Saulos Chilima Dead at 51

President Lazarus Chakwera has said on Tuesday that his deputy Dr Saulos Chilima had died in a military plane that took off and disappeared on Monday.

Dr. Chilima and nine others were flying within the country on Monday morning when their aircraft disappeared from airport radars. The plane, a military aircraft, was flying in bad weather.

In a news briefing on Tuesday, President Chakwera said the Malawi Defence Force commander informed him that the search and rescue operation has been completed and the plane was found.

Mr Chakwera said he was “deeply saddened and sorry” to inform Malawians of the terrible tragedy.

He said the rescue team found the aircraft completely destroyed.

The vice-president and president come from different parties but the two teamed up to form an alliance during the 2020 elections.

Dr Chilima, 51, was on his way to represent the government at the burial of former government minister Ralph Kasambara, who died four days ago.

Former First Lady Shanil Dzimbiri was also on the flight, which took off from the capital, Lilongwe, on Monday morning.

It was meant to land at the airport in the northern city of Mzuzu, but was turned back because of poor visibility.

Dr Chilima had been vice-president of Malawi since 2014.