UTM exposes underlying desire for twisted narrative in plane crash investigations

By LordDenning QB

As expected from people who have always fronted make-up narrative to suit their political agenda, the UTM has published a response to the Commission of Inquiry report that struggles to accuse the Commission and its report of not meeting expectations. Among others, the UTM raises the following issues:

PART I: The UTM says in its statement:

• “RESCUE EFFORTS PREMATURELY CALLED OFF The assumption is that Malawi’s military and police personnel are well-trained to operate under challenging conditions. Why, then, were rescue efforts called off, leaving only six detectives to search the Chikangawa Forest, ALLEGEDLY due to fear of the elements? Was this a case of inadequate preparedness, or was it a deliberate act to reduce the chances of survival for potential survivors? This decision warrants serious scrutiny and raises doubts about the motives behind such a premature withdrawal”.

The UTM is asserting blankly (i.e. without any evidence) that the rescue efforts were called off and that only six detectives were left to continue searching. The UTM further communicates a rumour that the search was called off “ALLEGEDLY due to fear of elements”. The use of the word ALLERGEDLY further confirms that the UTM does not have any evidence of its particular claim except for the rumours which it has not even bothered to indicate the source of such rumour.

The report by the Commission of Inquiry addressed this rumour by indicating explicitly that the search mission, as far as the MDF is concerned, was never called off at any point and that the searching endured throughout the night until the wreckage were located in the morning of the following day. It appears UTM purports to dispel this, yet without giving any proof to support its dispute.

The report informs the following about the search and rescue business that ensued

The search and rescue mission was coordinated between the MDF, the Police, and Civil Aviation and the coordination/command center was established at an old Raiply in Chikangawa forest in Mzimba district. The report narrates that the activation of the search and rescue mission entailed mobilizing Police officers, military personnel, Red Cross Society personnel, civil aviation personnel, and alerting hospitals particularly Mzuzu Central Hospital and Mzimba District Hospital, medical facilities that closer to the Raiply though less equipped, to prepare for emergency treatments.

Although the search and rescue exercise started earlier, with a trigger point at 13:17 hours, it was around 17:00 hours that most of the stakeholders converged at Raiply and they kept coming. Different stakeholders organized their own search and rescue missions. The MDF mobilized its platoon permanent base personnel at Kasitu camp in the Raiply part of Chikangawa forest as the initial team which was later joined by other MDF personnel from Moyale barracks. The Police mobilized its personnel from Nkhata-Bay, Mzuzu, Mmbelwa Division and Mzimba. The Red Cross Moblized volunteers from Mzuzu and Mzimba and were joined by officers from the Red Cross headquarters in Lilongwe. Raiply provided its vehicles and stuff especially those who normally work in the forest. UTM had some of its members participating in the search. Members of the public and the media joined the search as and when they could.

Commissioner of Police – North, Mr. Richard Luhanga was the most senior police officer at the Command Center in Raiply and he testified that the search was very disjointed on the 10^th June because of the following:

1. Lack of systematic and strategic approach to the search (Chikangawa has an area of about 50,000 to 55,000 hectares).
2. Lack of knowledge on what to do and where to search other than the 10km radius and 20km radius recommended from analysed technical data taken from the communication between the phones on board the aircraft and telecommunication towers on the ground.
3. After the 20km radius search was done unsuccessfully and without any further lead, it became difficult to coordinate the search.
4. The fact that most of those involved did not have proper tools and equipment to continue the search in the night which was very cold, windy, foggy and drizzly [remember there were several civilian stakeholders, such as members of the Red Cross, members of the general public, UTM members and Raiply workers who formed the search party].
5. Most of these civilians did not have a proper attire to enable them participate in the search during the night under such weather, there was very high risk of injuries to their bodies.
6. Many false leads which led to the search party to waste time chasing after leads that turned out to be false rumours.
7. The search being done in full view of journalists and members of the public who were relaying information live.
8. At 22:00hrs, the Commissioner of Police North, after consulting with other stakeholders decided to make a tactical pose of the search, agreeing with the stakeholders to return to the search at 05:00hrs the following day. However, while the civilian stakeholders and some police officers who did not come with appropriate gear dispersed, other police and military officers remained behind and continued with the search mission until they were joined in the morning when the wreckage was discovered. The MDF shifted from Raiply to their permanent base in Kasitu forest camp where they received orders to continue searching throughout the night. If anything, the orders that were issued by the police could not apply to MDF which does not take orders from the police command.

The report does not mention about the remaining search personnel being six members only at some point. It appears that the UTM simply dreamed this number or placed heavy weight on rumours that it heard might have heard from somewhere. The report by the Commission is very emphatic that the search was never called off by the MDF who continued to search throughout the night together with some police detectives who remained in deployment in the forest zone with a task of continuing to gather leads to be used once all personnel reconvene in the following morning.

Perhaps Mr. Willet Karonga, the UTM Secretary General who has signed the statement, is referring to the dismissal of civilians from the night search as WITHDRAWING THE SEARCH. This is inaccurate, misleading and suggestive of desire to propagate propaganda only useful to its lies-based political narrative.