In his nation address, the President described this as a terrible tragedy which words cannot describe.

“The search and rescue operation I ordered to find the missing plane that carried our Vice President and nine others, has been completed and the plane has been found.”

“And I am deeply saddened and sorry to inform you all that it has turned out to be a terrible tragedy. The search and rescue team has found the aircraft near a hill in the Chikangawa Forest and they have found it completely destroyed, with no survivors as all passengers on board, were killed on impact,” said Chakwera.

He has since described Dr. Chilima as a good man who served the country with distinction adding that arrangements made to mourn in a dignified manner will be announced soon.

“The people who perished in this tragic and terrible accident, could have been anyone of us. And we feel helpless because a day like today, reminds us that one day and any day, death will in fact come for each one of us and we will be powerless to stop it.”

“Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima was a good man. A devoted father and husband. A patriotic citizen, who served his country with distinction. I consider it one of the greatest honors in my life, to have worked with him in the past four years,” he said.

The Malawi Defense Force Aircraft - AMF T03, was on its way back to Lilongwe after failing to land in Mzuzu due to bad weather when it crashed in Chikangawa Forest.

Other people that have died in the plane crash include : Former First lady Shanil Dzimbiri, Dan Kanyemba, Chisomo Chimaneni and Gloria Mtukule.

Meanwhile Former President Dr. Bakili Muluzi says he is heartbroken and mourning the loss of former first lady Shanil Dzimbiri and state vice president Dr. Saulos Chilima.

The two died in a plane crash yesterday, along with eight others who were part of Chilima's security detail, aides, and Malawi Defense Force pilots manning the aircraft.

Lameck Mombera, chief of staff in the office of the former president, says Muluzi is currently waiting for his four children with Dzimbiri to arrive from the United Kingdom for the funeral rites.