Malawi's Vice President, a "devout Catholic", among 10 Confirmed Dead in Plane Crash

“I understand this feeling because I feel them too. It is important that we comfort each other now and the weeks to come as we mourn together,” the President said.

The late Vice President, 51, was on his way to represent the government at the burial of former government minister Ralph Kasambara, who died four days ago.

The military aircraft carrying Mr. Saulos Klaus Chilima and nine others failed to make a landing Monday morning, according to a statement from the Secretary to the president and cabinet, Colleen Zamba.

Earlier, the Secretary General of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM), Fr. Valeriano Mtseka described the late Vice President as a “devout Catholic.”

Following the tragedy, Malawians on social media have been praying for the safety of the vice president and the other nine.

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“We have lost our beloved vice president of Malawi. May he rest in peace. He loved the church. Very active and humble,”  Fr. Edmond Nyoka said in a tweet.

Born in February 1973, Dr. Chilima is a Ngoni from Ntcheu District in Central Malawi. He is married to Mary and together they have two children.

Dr. Chilima is a Roman Catholic with leadership positions in the church.

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