An aircraft carrying Malawi’s Vice-President Saulos Chilima and nine others has gone missing, according to a statement from the president’s office.
The Malawi Defence Force aircraft “went off the radar” after departing from the capital, Lilongwe, on Monday morning. It was expected to land at Mzuzu International Airport in the country’s north shortly after 10:00 local time (09:00 BST).
President Lazarus Chakwera announced in a speech late on Monday that a search and rescue operation is ongoing.
“Soldiers are still on the ground carrying out the search, and I have given strict orders for the operation to continue until the plane is found,” he said, describing the situation as “heart-breaking.”
“I know that we are all frightened and concerned – I too am concerned. But I want to assure you that I am sparing no available resource to find that plane and I am holding onto every fibre of hope that we will find survivors,” Chakwera added.
The president cancelled his scheduled flight to the Bahamas on Monday evening to remain in the country.
The reason for the aircraft’s disappearance is not yet known, General Valentino Phiri informed Chakwera. Moses Kunkuyu, Malawi’s information minister, told the BBC that efforts to locate the aircraft are “intensive.”
Chilima was travelling to attend the burial of former cabinet minister Ralph Kasambara, who passed away three days ago. Kunkuyu stated, “The airport he was to land at, which is in the northern part of Mzuzu, was the closest to where the funeral was taking place.”
In 2022, Chilima was arrested and charged with allegations of accepting money in exchange for awarding government contracts. The charges were dropped last month without explanation. (in cyprus)
