“Fix Malawi Airports,” expert tells authorities

Fredrick Chisepeya, the Director of Aerodromes and Air Navigation Standards at the Civil Aviation Authority, has emphasized the need for enhancements to the nation’s airports.

He stated that the emphasis should extend beyond merely upgrading physical facilities to include safety and security measures.

This statement comes in light of the parliamentary investigation into the Chikangawa plane crash that resulted in the deaths of Vice-President Saulos Chilima and eight others in 2024.

Chisepeya insists that priority must be given to ensuring airports comply with necessary safety and security standards.

He expressed that he would not advocate for the resumption of flights to Mzuzu Airport in its current condition, labeling it a “death trap” and assigning it a rating of three out of ten based on its existing standards.

According to Chisepeya, it is essential to have a well-equipped airport that adheres to the required standards before any flight operations can safely recommence.

Additionally, he has urged for the validation of instrument flight procedures at Kamuzu International Airport, noting that it has been a considerable time since they were last validated.

The final report from the BFU investigation determined that the crash was due to a collision with terrain under adverse weather conditions, indicating that the flight crew operated in challenging weather that ultimately resulted in the disaster.

The BFU report also claimed that Malawi’s Department of Meteorological Services did not provide any meteorological data for the intended flight route, a lapse that the report states violated International Civil Aviation Organisation standards.In response to the