LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The late Malawi Vice President Saulos Chilima and eight others plane crash’s report will be ready in August this year.
In preliminary update report after site inspection, German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation (BFU) says, “During a domestic passenger flight of the military airplane Do228-202(K) from Lilongwe to Mzuzu, the airplane crashed into the slope of a hill in marginal weather conditions. All nine occupants suffered fatal injuries and the airplane was destroyed”.
The German firm was contracted by the Malawi government to do a full investigation into the plane crash.
“On request of the government of the Republic of Malawi to the Federal Republic of Germany, the German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation (BFU), representing the state of design and manufacturer, dispatched an investigation team to Malawi which was supported by an expert of the aircraft manufacturer.
“The investigation team, supported by experts of the Civil Aviation Administration of Malawi and the Malawi Armed Forces, conducted investigations at the accident site, the aerodrome of departure and destination as well as the home base of the airplane,” reads in part BFU update released on July 11, 2024.
BFU adds, “During the investigation of the wreckage, a Global Positioning System (GPS) was secured and later transported to the BFU. In the recorder and avionics laboratory of the BFU, the data of the accident flight and other flights stored in the GPS could be read out. These will now be analysed very thoroughly. This will take some time.
“In accordance with Annex 13 to the Convention of International Civil Aviation of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the Republic of Malawi delegated the conduct of the investigation to the BFU”.
The bureau discloses further, “Presumably at the end of August, the BFU will publish an Interim Report in German and English on the website: www.bfu-web.de/EN/. The Interim Report will include the facts that have been gathered up to that point.
The BFU will publish the analysis of the facts, the conclusions, causes and possible safety recommendations in a Final Report later on.
“Investigations by the BFU are to be carried out separately and independently of judicial or administrative proceedings. The sole purpose of an investigation by the BFU is accident prevention. Investigation reports and safety recommendations do not contain any statements of guilt, liability or claims”.
Chilima was buried at his home village, Nsipe in Ntcheu district on June 17, 2024