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Malawi Chilima plane crash parliamentary inquiry

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2026-09-29 17:54 UTC → 2026-10-02 17:03 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The parliamentary inquiry into the June 10, 2024, plane crash that killed Vice-President Saulos Chilima and eight others has expanded to include theories of pilot incapacitation, security failures, and controversial eyewitness accounts. Retired Major General Robray Ishmael testified that flight data indicated unusual aircraft movements, including tight turns, loops, and a sharp descent from 8,600 feet to 5,500 feet, which he characterized as a “dive.” Ishmael suggested these movements could point to pilot incapacitation or disorientation. Regarding airport security, Assistant Commissioner of Police Alex Simenti admitted that members of the Vice-President’s entourage bypassed standard metal detectors and X-ray screening by entering through the VVIP gate. Recent testimony from witness Ephraim Duma introduced highly controversial claims. Duma alleged he saw Chilima, dressed in a black suit and red tie, standing at the aircraft door calling for help before being pulled back inside by an “unknown force.” He also claimed to have encountered foreign militia members and asserted he survived encounters with soldiers due to spiritual “body fortification.” Committee members scrutinized these claims, noting Duma could not definitively identify the figure and that his assertions contradicted scientific evidence. ~~New testimony~~ Testimony has also highlighted significant failures in the search and rescue operation. Mobile operators Airtel Malawi and Telekom Networks Malawi (TNM) indicated that inaccurate or incomplete telephone information was provided during the initial ~~hours, with some numbers supplied for tracing not belonging to passengers.~~ hours. Malawi Police Inspector General Richard Luhanga admitted ~~to the committee~~ that search teams “really did get lost” due to dense forest, freezing conditions, and inadequate equipment. ~~Luhanga also cited social media misinformation~~ Major General Richard Chagonapanja, who led the operation, added that heavy fog, difficult terrain, and ~~media interference as complicating factors, while defending~~ the ~~use~~ absence of ~~manual tools like pangas and hammers to avoid fire risks associated with heavy machinery.~~ an Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) further hindered the mission. New allegations regarding the integrity of the investigation have emerged.

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