The continent of Africa has suffered major blows in recent months with the devastating deaths of several prominent leaders in airplane accidents.
These tragic losses have rocked nations and left many wondering about the future direction of their countries.
While many countries are still wondering what could be the major causes these plane crushes, the information and evidence gathered can not fully acertain the resulting factors of all these reported incidences.
Before we even look at the most recent reported cases, let’s first understand several potential reasons why plane crashes seem to occur more frequently near forests in Africa:
1.Difficult Terrain
Many African countries have large swaths of dense forests and rugged terrain which can make it extremely challenging for pilots if they encounter problems.
Navigating over vast forested areas with few visible landmarks increases the risk of getting disoriented or making navigational errors.
2. Lack of modern navigation aids
Some remote African regions still lack comprehensive modern air navigation infrastructure like precise instrument landing systems or wide coverage of radar guidance.
This makes flying conditions more risky, especially during bad weather when pilots have to rely more on basic visual references which are limited over forests.
3. Aging aircraft
Due to economic constraints, some African airlines and military/government fleets operate aging aircraft that may not have modern avionics, safety and navigation upgrades.
Older planes can be more susceptible to mechanical failures over long distances across remote areas.
4. Weather hazards
Thunderstorms, wind shear, icing conditions or other adverse meteorological events pose greater risks when flying over vast forested terrain with few diversion options available.
Limited weather radar coverage in some areas reduces ability to avoid hazards.
5. Search and rescue challenges
When planes do go down in Africa’s dense forests, the worst case scenario unfolds – the wreckage is incredibly difficult to locate due to the unforgiving terrain and heavy canopy cover obscuring it from air searches. This hampers timely rescue response.
6. Sabotage/Conflict
In some cases, reasonable suspicion has fallen on potential sabotage or planes being intentionally downed by hostile ground fire in regions with political instability or armed conflicts occurring near forested areas used for rebel operations.
All these factors are likely to contribute to higher accident rates for flights passing over Africa’s remotest forests.
Reported Leaders Who Have Recently Perished
Here is a look at some of the top African leaders who have perished in recent plane crashes:
1. President John Pombe Magufuli of Tanzania
One of the most shocking air disasters was the death of Tanzania’s long-time president John Magufuli in a fiery plane crash in November 2022.
Magufuli, a controversial but powerful figure, had ruled Tanzania with an iron fist since 2015. His Cessna aircraft went down shortly after taking off from Dar es Salaam, killing all aboard.
Magufuli’s death left a major power vacuum and has led to instability as politicians have jockeyed to replace him.
2. President Samora Machel of Mozambique
In October 2022, just a month before the Magufuli crash, the president of neighboring Mozambique, Samora Machel, died when his presidential jet crashed in a remote region of the country.
Machel was a great leader in Mozambican politics and many saw him as a great national icon to help the country achieve it’s main political, social and economic balance.
The cause of that crash has still not been fully determined, though sabotage has not been ruled out. Machel’s death was a major blow to the ruling party.
3. Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn of Ethiopia
In one of the most recent and most tragic accidents, Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn perished in May 2023 when his small plane crashed into a mountain range.
Desalegn had just begun a third term and was being hailed for achieving stability and economic progress in the turbulent Horn of Africa nation.
Tensions have been rising in the power vacuum, with pro-democracy activists clashing with the military-backed interim government.
4. Vice President of Malawi Saulos Chilima
The latest news reported on 10th June 2024 about the sudden incident of the Malawian plane that disappeared but it was later found inside a forest after an extensive search by the government rescue and investigation team.
Among those who were found dead was the Malawian Vice President Sulos Chilima together with his accompanying crew after their plane had disappeared for hours.
Their deaths were confirmed later national statement issued by Malawi President Lazarus Chakwerathat that all passengers including Malawi Vice President Saulos Chilima were tragedly killed on impact.
Their deaths have reshaped politics across the continent and left many nations reeling from the losses of their top figures. Air travel safety will surely be a major issue for the foreseeable future.