The Parliamentary Ad-hoc Committee investigating the June 10, 2024 military plane crash in Malawi has raised concerns over conflicting accounts of when the wreckage was discovered. Committee chairperson Walter Nyamilandu highlighted the contradiction between the Malawi Police Service's report of a 9:30 am discovery and Major General Richard Tobias Chagonapanja's testimony that the wreckage was found at 10:58 am on June 11, 2024.
Major General Chagonapanja, former Commander of 101 Brigade and current Chief of Staff of the Malawi Defence Force (MDF), was summoned to account for the search-and-rescue operation he coordinated after the aircraft went missing on June 10, 2024. He told the committee that he was not informed about the Vice-President's trip to the Northern Region to attend the burial of former Cabinet minister Ralph Kasambara.
Chagonapanja's testimony revealed that he only learned of the aircraft's communication loss with air traffic control at 12:15 pm on June 10, 2024. He made several phone calls before being instructed to begin search-and-rescue operations, with his first report given to then MDF Commander General Paul Velentino Phiri at around 5 pm.
The search-and-rescue operation was initially hindered by poor preparedness for night operations and difficult weather conditions, including thick fog. By 10 pm, most teams had left the area, leaving MDF personnel and Raiply patrols to continue the search. Chagonapanja stated that 180 soldiers were deployed between June 10 and 11, but faulted the operation as uncoordinated.
Inspector General of Police Richard Luhanga previously described the search-and-rescue operation as disjointed and archaic. Chagonapanja's testimony also revealed that Vice-President Chilima had three phones, two of which were in usable condition. The committee will engage other stakeholders to establish the exact timeline of the wreckage discovery.
Zomba City South legislator James Mpunga questioned instructions allegedly given to Chagonapanja not to take photographs when the wreckage was discovered. Chagonapanja responded that the instruction was given to preserve order at the scene. The committee will continue its investigations in the Northern Region, where members will engage witnesses and other officials.
The committee's findings have significant implications for the investigation into the military plane crash. Key issues include the exact timeline of the wreckage discovery and coordination problems during the initial search. The committee's engagement with other stakeholders aims to clarify these issues and shed light on the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Key points
- The Parliamentary Ad-hoc Committee is investigating conflicting reports on when the wreckage of a military plane carrying the Vice-President was discovered.
- The search-and-rescue operation was initially hindered by poor preparedness for night operations and difficult weather conditions.
- The committee's findings have significant implications for the investigation into the military plane crash.
