No foul play in Chilima’s plane crash-German investigators
The truth is finally out.
German experts who came to Malawi to investigate what caused the June 10 Chikangawa plane crash have established that there was no foul play leading to the national tragedy.
On that fateful day, former Vice President Dr Saulos Klaus Chilima and eight others died when the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) aircraft crashed at Thungwa Mountain within the Vipya Plantation in Nkhatabay District.
According to the report, released on Friday 30th August 2024 by the German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation, the crash was due to “heavy clouds and turbulence.”
The report also establishes that the crash, which apart from claiming the life of Chilima also killed eight others, was not survivable due to heavy impact.
The 19-page report shows that the aircraft was manufactured in 1987 and had many of its key equipment and machines archaic and not maintained to the expected standards for it to be airborne.
The report also says there was also a delay in locating Chilima’s plane due to faulty equipment used I in the search and rescue mission.
The plane’s emergency transmitter locator, according to the report, had malfunctioned due to a corresponding failure of the battery since the year 2004.
The finalisation of the investigations and publication of the report draws the curtain on a salvo of accusations from some quarters of society who wrongly accused innocent people for being responsible in the plane crash.
