The widow of the late Wales Aidin, one of the victims who died in the Chikangawa plane crash, has told a Parliamentary Committee that she last spoke to her husband on the morning of June 10, 2024, shortly before the ill-fated flight departed.
Speaking before the committee, Taona Aidin said her husband informed her that he had taken off from Kamuzu International Airport and was on his way to Mzuzu.
She described the conversation as their final communication before tragedy struck.
Mrs. Aidin told lawmakers that during the call, her husband assured her that the weather conditions were favourable for the flight.
She said he compared the situation to the previous day, when he had reported poor weather while transporting the body of lawyer Ralph Kasambara from Blantyre to Mzuzu.
She said that after reports began circulating on social media that the aircraft had gone missing on the morning of June 10, she immediately tried to contact her husband through phone calls and text messages, but received no response.
According to Mrs. Aidin, she remained hopeful that her husband had survived until images of the crash scene began circulating online.
It was then that she realised the devastating reality after identifying her husband’s body in the photographs.
She further revealed that she was never able to see her husband’s face after the crash because she was informed that his injuries were too severe.
As a result, she only paid her final respects during his burial.
The testimony formed part of the Parliamentary Committee’s ongoing inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the fatal military aircraft crash, which claimed the lives of several passengers, including senior government officials.
Mrs. Aidin’s emotional account highlighted the profound personal loss suffered by the families of the victims and underscored the lasting impact of the tragedy as investigations into the crash continue.
