A traffic police officer, identified as Sergeant Malumbe of South West Regional Police Headquarters in Blantyre died on Sunday evening after drowning on Mbiya pool at the foot of Mulanje Mountain.

Mulanje Conservation Trust Spokesperson Kondwani Chamwala confirmed of the development in a statement posted on his official facebook page.

“We regret to announce that a person has died at Mbiya Pools today. He and a colleague went up to appreciate the beauty of this magnificent place situated on the Lujeri side of Mt Mulanje.

“We call upon all visitors to be with a registered Guide whenever visiting any place on Mt Mulanje,” wrote Chamwala.

He added: “The guides are trained to respond to any emergencies on top of just being a guide.”

On his part Mulanje Police Spokesperson Sergeant Innocent Moses said the officer while on recreation at the pool, stepped on a slippery stone and fell in.

“Sergeant Malumbe failed to swim and his friend Maxwell Acklen, also a police officer tried to call for help, but there was no-one close to rescue the officer,” said Moses.

The body according to Sergeant Moses has been taken to Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre for postmortem.