The fatal plane crash that killed Malawi’s Vice President Saulos Chilima and nine others on June 10, 2024, has been officially attributed to a combination of human error and poor weather conditions, specifically the crew’s decision to fly despite limited visibility.
However, the official findings have been met with widespread public suspicion and a “secret tale” of conspiracy theories in Malawi, largely due to political tensions and significant operational failures highlighted in independent investigations.
A government-appointed Commission of Inquiry and a subsequent report by German investigators (BFU) concluded that the primary cause was the flight crew’s decision to proceed in bad weather, leading to the plane clipping a tree and crashing in the Chikangawa Forest.
Despite the official reports, many Malawians, including Chilima’s wife, do not accept the official narrative, leading to a persistent “secret tale” of political foul play.
The skepticism is fueled by several factors.
Chilima was a popular politician, especially among the youth, and a potential rival to President Lazarus Chakwera in the upcoming 2025 presidential election.
Tensions between their political parties (the Tonse Alliance) were public knowledge.
President Chakwera initially stated the plane was told to turn back from Mzuzu Airport due to bad weather; however, German investigators later reported the plane never reached Mzuzu and no such orders were recorded.
The German investigation revealed shocking negligence by the Malawi Defence Forces (MDF), which operated the military aircraft.
Key safety concerns included:
An inoperable Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) with an expired battery from 2004.
The absence of crucial flight recorders (Cockpit Voice Recorder and Flight Data Recorder).
Unrecorded radar data and radio communications.
An allegedly medically unfit pilot.
The aircraft’s certification was reportedly expired or had unresolved mechanical issues.
In the absence of a fully trusted and transparent official account, rumors and calls for an independent, non-military inquiry continue among the Malawian public.
The perception of a “secret tale” stems from the belief that the government and military are not being fully accountable or transparent about the preventable nature of the crash and the potential political dimensions surrounding the death of the popular Vice President.
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