Zambia’s Vice President, Mutale Nalumango, has escaped death alongside seven others after their Air Force helicopter crashed shortly after taking off from during an election campaign.
The aircraft went down moments after departing from the rally leaving the aircraft badly damaged, although all eight occupants survived the incident without injuries.
The mishap which happened in Nalumango town of Nakonde, as Nalumungo and the campaign team travelled across the country ahead of Zambia’s general election scheduled for August 13, with President Hakainde Hichilema seeking a second term in office.
Speaking after the incident on Thursday, the septuagenarian VP recounted that the plane had only been airborne for a brief moment before it suddenly came down.
“After we lifted off, I don’t know whether it was a minute or two… and then we came down,” the 71-year-old said, adding that she suffered no injuries.