Missing Plane with Malawian Vice President
A plane carrying Vice President Saulos Chilima and nine other individuals has gone missing in the east African country of Malawi. It seems that there was poor visibility during the flight, and search efforts are currently underway to locate the aircraft.
The Malawian Presidential office announced that a plane carrying Vice President Saulos Chilima and nine other individuals disappeared from radar screens on Monday. A search operation has been initiated to find the missing aircraft.
The plane, belonging to the Malawian military, took off in the morning from the capital city of Lilongwe but vanished from radar and did not arrive as planned at the Mzuzu International Airport, approximately 350 kilometers away, stated the Presidential office. President Lazarus Chakwera suspended a planned foreign trip in response to the incident.
Poor visibility at the destination
In a late-night television address, President Chakwera mentioned that the plane was unable to land at its destination due to poor visibility. The aviation authorities had advised the pilot to return to Lilongwe due to adverse weather conditions, but contact was lost shortly thereafter.
Chakwera refuted reports claiming that the search for the aircraft had been called off in the evening, stating, “I have given strict instructions for the search to continue until the aircraft is found.” While expressing concern, he remains hopeful that survivors will be located.
He also stated that he is in communication with neighboring countries and development partners such as the governments of the US, the UK, Norway, and Israel, who have offered assistance, including technical support to expedite the location of the aircraft.
Media reports search teams combing forest area
According to Malawian media reports, villagers near a forest area reported seeing a plane flying at low altitude and alerted authorities.
Mzuzu, the original destination of the flight, is the third largest city in Malawi and the capital of the northern region. Situated in a hilly, forested area dominated by the Viphya mountain range with its extensive pine plantations, search teams are combing one of these forested areas near Mzuzu for any traces of the missing plane, as reported by the Malawian media group The Times.
Chilima has been the Vice President since 2020. He faced a corruption probe for allegedly receiving money in exchange for influencing government contract awards. In May, the charges were unexpectedly dropped by the prosecution after Chilima, aged 51, had been arrested at the end of 2022. He consistently denied the allegations.
This developing story has captured the attention of the nation and beyond, with hopes for the safe recovery of those aboard the missing aircraft.
