Testimony before Parliament’s Ad-hoc Committee has painted a grim picture of the final moments of the Malawi Defence Force aircraft that crashed on June 10, 2024, killing Vice President Saulos Chilima and others.

Senior Malawi Air Force officer Captain Henry Nthani told lawmakers that the flight was caught in what he described as an “unavoidable fatal accident,” saying the crew had no realistic chance of recovery once the situation deteriorated.

Nthani said the pilots on board, including those flying the Dornier 228, were highly experienced and attempted to manage the aircraft under extremely difficult conditions, including severe weather that can compromise control even for skilled crews.

However, it was his interpretation of the wreckage that drew strong attention.

He suggested that the absence of fire at the crash site could indicate a final action taken in the closing moments of the flight.

“I believe the pilots may have switched off the master switch so that they die with dignity, not by fire,” Nthani told the committee, stressing that this was his personal view based on the condition of the wreckage.

His remarks imply that the crew, faced with an imminent crash, may have remained composed in their final moments, confronting death directly rather than succumbing to panic.

Nthani, a former Operations and Training Officer at Zomba Airbase, said he has flown the Dornier aircraft for about 400 hours, describing it as one of the most reliable and comfortable aircraft in the Malawi Defence Force fleet.

He added that even in difficult situations, pilots retain authority to change routes or abort missions if conditions become unsafe, noting that such decisions are part of normal flight safety procedures.

“There is an alternative route from Lilongwe to Mzuzu if the original one is not safe,” he said, adding that responsibility lies with the flight crew depending on real-time conditions.

He also paid tribute to the late pilot Colonel Owen Sambalopa, describing him as one of the finest aviators in the Malawi Defence Force.

At the same hearing, Zomba Airbase Commander Colonel Alex Mwachande told the committee that pilots had full authority to abort the mission if weather conditions became dangerous during flight.

He said the military aviation system is designed around “decentralised execution,” giving crews operational independence to make safety decisions in the air.

“That decision was solely on those executing the mission,” Mwachande said.

The flight crew on board the ill-fated aircraft included pilot Colonel Mac Jones Sambalopa, co-pilot Major Flora Selemani (Ngwirinji), and Major Aidin, alongside Vice President Chilima and other passengers.