Malawi State Television
The wreckage of the plane was found on Tuesday.
CNN
—
Malawi’s Vice President Saulos Chilima was killed in a plane crash along with nine other passengers, Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera announced on Tuesday.
The plane disappeared after failing to land at Mzuzu International Airport, about 380 kilometers north of the capital, Lilongwe. Chakwera said on Tuesday that the wreckage of the plane had been located.
“The search and rescue operation I ordered to find the missing plane carrying our Vice President and nine others has been completed. The plane has been found. I am deeply saddened and sorry to inform you that it has turned out to be a terrible tragedy,” Chakwera said.
The Malawian leader revealed that the plane was found “completely destroyed” in the Chikangawa Forest, adding that “words cannot describe how sad this is.”
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Chakwera praised his deputy, describing him as “a good man, a devoted father and husband, and a patriotic citizen who served his country with distinction.”
Chilima, 51, returned to Malawi on June 6 after attending the Korea-Africa summit in Seoul last week.
Gianluigi Gorcia/AFP/Getty Images
Malawi Vice President Saulos Chilima is seen campaigning in 2019.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Malawi Defense Forces said they had deployed drones and at least 200 soldiers to search for the plane in the Chikangawa Forest Reserve where the last indications of its whereabouts were received.
Force Commander Paul Valentino Ferri said rescue operations were delayed due to bad weather conditions.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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