By Pemphero Malimba:
Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services Director Lucy Mtilatila Monday told the Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee investigating the Chikangawa plane crash that no airport weather forecaster was deployed to Mzuzu Airport on June 10, 2024.
Mtilatila said the department was not aware of the planned Malawi Defence Force (MDF) flight carrying then vice-president Saulos Chilima and eight other people and therefore did not deploy a forecaster.
She said Mzuzu Airport was not receiving commercial flights at the time, meaning prior arrangements were required for the deployment of weather forecasters.
“During the incident, airport weather forecasters were only at Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) and Chileka Airport where there was a lot of traffic due to limited staff. However, they were providing weather forecasts when asked,” she said.
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Mtilatila said KIA forecasters provide en-route and aerodrome forecasts but were not asked to provide weather information to the MDF flight crew.
“Before they fly, they need to get information about the airport they are flying to and the route of the destination. But all flights leaving KIA received documentation, including weather forecasts,” she said.
Mtilatila recommended that authorities provide adequate equipment to support aviation weather services and ensure that no aircraft takes off without undergoing mandatory weather forecast checks.
KIA weather forecaster Jarson Sokosa told the committee that there was no communication between the MDF flight crew and the meteorological briefing office at KIA on the day.
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He said no pre-flight weather briefing was conducted, contrary to standard practice, and confirmed that he was not aware of the VVIP flight.
Sokosa said flight operators are expected to visit the meteorological office after filing a flight plan for a briefing.
He supported Mtilatila’s call for mandatory weather briefings for flight crews.
Committee chairperson Walter Nyamilandu Manda said aviation officials would appear before the committee today.
The committee is conducting the second phase of the inquiry.
The crash killed Chilima and eight others while they were travelling to Mzuzu for the funeral of former Cabinet minister Ralph Kasambara in Nkhata Bay.
