President Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday, extended his condolences to Malawian President, Lazarus Chakwera, and the people of Malawi over the tragic loss of Vice President Saulos Chilima and other officials in a plane crash on Monday.
On Tuesday, President Chakwera announced that the wreckage of a plane carrying Malawi’s Vice President was found with no survivors.
Chilima and nine others were travelling within the country on Monday morning when their aircraft vanished from airport radars.
According to aviation authorities, the military aircraft was flying in bad weather.
Reacting, President Tinubu, through a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, on Tuesday, expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased over this deeply distressing incident.
The statement read in part, “President Tinubu commiserates with the families of the deceased over this deeply distressing incident, which happened on a mournful Monday, June 10, 2024.
“The President assures the Malawian nation of Nigeria’s support during this time of mourning and prays for the repose of the souls of the departed.”
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Mahamat, in a statement, said he was deeply saddened to learn that the search and rescue mission for the missing aircraft carrying Chilima and nine other occupants found no survivors.
“The Chairperson extends his most sincere condolences to the bereaved families, and the Government and the people of Malawi at this great national loss.
“The Chairperson reiterates the African Union’s strong solidarity with H.E President Lazarus Chakwera, the Government and the People of Malawi during this difficult time, with prayers for the peaceful repose of the souls of the departed,” the statement on AU website read.
The President of the African Development Bank Group, Akinwumi Adesina, in a post on X via @akin_adesina, said he was “Extremely saddened that my brother, H.E. Dr. Saulos Chilima, Vice President of Malawi, died in a plane crash along with nine other people.”
Describing their demise as a tragic loss, Adesina wrote, “May God comfort President @LAZARUSCHAKWERA and the families of all the deceased. May their souls rest in peace.”
