A plane transporting Malawi’s Vice-President Saulos Chilima and nine other individuals has been reported missing, according to an announcement from the presidential office.
The aircraft, belonging to the Malawi Defense Force, “disappeared from radar” following its departure from the capital, Lilongwe, on Monday morning.
Upon losing contact with the aircraft, the president initiated a search and rescue mission.
The aircraft was scheduled to arrive at Mzuzu International Airport, located in the northern region of the country, shortly after 10:00 local time (09:00 BST).
Upon receiving news of the incident from the commander of the Defence Force, Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera cancelled his planned Monday evening flight to the Bahamas.
The president’s office stated, “The public will be kept informed of any developments as the situation unfolds.”
The cause of the aircraft’s disappearance remains unknown, General Valentino Phiri informed Mr Chakwera. Moses Kunkuyu, Malawi’s Minister of Information, said that the search for the aircraft is being conducted with utmost urgency.
Mr Chilima was en route to represent the government at the funeral of former cabinet minister Ralph Kasambara, who passed away three days prior.
Mr Kunkuyu noted, “The intended landing site, located in the northern part of Mzuzu, was the nearest airport to the funeral location.”
In 2022, Dr Chilima was apprehended and charged amid allegations of accepting bribes in return for granting government contracts.
However, the charges were dismissed last month by the court, which did not provide any explanation for this decision.
