An aircraft transporting Malawi’s Vice-President Saulos Chilima and nine other individuals has reportedly gone missing, as confirmed by a statement from the president’s office.
The Malawi Defence Force aircraft lost contact after departing from the capital, Lilongwe, on Monday morning, the statement noted. Its intended destination was Mzuzu International Airport in the country’s northern region, with an anticipated arrival time of just after 10:00 local time (09:00 BST).
President Lazarus Chakwera addressed the nation late Monday, expressing deep concern over the situation and assuring ongoing efforts in the search and rescue operation. He emphasized the commitment of the armed forces to exhaust all resources until the missing aircraft is located, describing the circumstances as “heart-breaking.”
Mr. Chakwera altered his plans, canceling a scheduled flight to the Bahamas, to oversee the crisis response. The cause behind the disappearance remains unknown, as briefed by General Valentino Phiri to the President.
Efforts to locate the aircraft are described as “intensive” by Malawi’s Information Minister, Moses Kunkuyu, who emphasized the gravity of the situation. Vice-President Chilima was en route to represent the government at the funeral of former cabinet minister Ralph Kasambara, who passed away three days earlier. The choice of the northern part of Mzuzu for landing was dictated by the proximity to the funeral site.
In a backdrop of recent events, it’s noteworthy that Dr. Chilima faced legal allegations in 2022 related to purported financial improprieties involving government contracts. However, the charges were dropped by the court last month without explanation.
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