Zambia’s 30 Heroes Remembered In Coronavirus Scourge
27 April 2020
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Grief and sorrow filled every corner of the country at around 22:45hrs of 27th April 1993 when the news broke that the de Havilland Canada DHC-5D Buffalo plane with registration number AF-319 carrying the players crashed into the Atlantic Ocean, shortly after taking-off from Libreville, Gabon.

The Heroes are resting outside the iconic Independence stadium in Lusaka.

The Zambia national team was en route to Dakar, Senegal to fulfill a FIFA World Cup Qualifier match against The Lions of Teranga when they plunged into Atlantic killing everyone on board.

The team was Zambia’s most talented generation even though they did not win any major silverware.

18 players were on board with 3 coaching staff, a team doctor, a Football Association official, a journalist, a public servant and 5 crew members. The fallen heroes will always be remembered. Here are the 30 name of the people who were on the plane;

FOOTBALL PLAYERS

Efford Chabala (goalkeeper)

Richard Mwanza (goalkeeper)

John Soko (defender)

Winter Mumba (defender)

Samuel Chomba (defender)

Whiteson Changwe (defender)

Robert Watiyakeni (defender)

Eston Mulenga (midfielder)

Derby Makinka (midfielder)

Numba Mwila (midfielder)

Godfrey Kangwa (midfielder)

Moses Chikwalakwala (midfielder)

Wisdom Mumba Chansa (midfielder)

Kelvin “Malaza” Mutale (striker)

Timothy Mwitwa (striker)

Patrick “Bomber” Banda (striker)

Moses Masuwa (striker)

Kenan Simambe (Striker)

COACHING STAFF

Godfrey “Ucar” Chitalu (coach)

Alex Chola (assistant coach)

Wilson Sakala (team manager)

TEAM DOCTOR

Dr Wilson Mtonga

OTHERS

Michael Mwape (FAZ Chairman)

Nelson Zimba (public servant)

Joseph Bwalya Salim (journalist)

CREW MEMBERS

Colonel Fenton Mhone (pilot)

Lt Colonel Victor Mubanga (pilot)

Lt Colonel James Sachika (pilot)

Warrant Officer Edward Nambote (Flight engineer)

Corporal Tomson Sakala (steward)