Search continues for missing plane carrying Malawi’s vice president
Chilima, 51, was on board a military plane with nine others that took off from the capital, Lilongwe, at 09:17 am (0717 GMT), Malawi’s Office of the President and Cabinet said earlier in a statement.
The president of the southern African country of Malawi said on Monday that search and rescue operations will continue until the missing plane carrying Malawi’s Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima is found.
Chilima, 51, was on board a military plane with nine others that took off from the capital, Lilongwe, at 09:17 am (0717 GMT), Malawi’s Office of the President and Cabinet said earlier in a statement.
It said attempts by aviation authorities to contact the plane have failed since it disappeared from radar. The plane was scheduled to land at Mzuzu airport at 10:02 a.m.
President Lazarus Chakwera said in his address to the nation that the plane was unable to land at the airport due to poor visibility and was ordered to return to the capital.
“I am keeping my fingers crossed that we will find survivors,” he said, adding that the search area was concentrated within a 10 km (6 mile) radius in a reserved forest.
“I have given strict orders that the operation must continue until the plane is found.”
He said Malawi had approached neighbouring countries, as well as the governments of the United States, Britain, Norway and Israel, for assistance in rescue efforts.
Chilima, seen as a potential candidate in next year’s presidential election, was arrested in 2022 on corruption charges.
However, last month a Malawi court dismissed corruption charges against him after the director of public prosecutions filed a notice to close the case. Chilima has denied any wrongdoing.
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