A plane carrying Malawi’s Vice President Saulos Chilima and nine others has gone missing, a presidency statement said.
The Malawi Defence Forces plane said it had “disappeared from radar” after taking off from the capital Lilongwe on Monday morning.
The plane was due to land at Mzuzu International Airport in the north of the country just after 10am local time (0900 BST).
Speaking late on Monday, President Lazarus Chakwera said search and rescue operations were continuing.
“Soldiers are still at the scene conducting search operations and I have given strict instructions to continue the operation until the aircraft is found,” he said, adding that it was a “heartbreaking situation”.
“I know we are all scared and worried. I am worried too. But I want to assure you that we will spare no resources available to find this plane and we are clinging to a sliver of hope that we will find any survivors.”
The reason for the plane’s disappearance is still not known, General Valentino Pili told Chakwera. Malawi’s Information Minister Moses that efforts were being “intensely” to find the plane.
Chilima was on his way to represent the government at the funeral of former cabinet minister Ralph Kasambala, who died three days ago.
“The airport where he was due to land was in the north of Mzuzu, the closest to where the funeral was held,” Kunkuyu said. Chilima was arrested and charged. He was accused of accepting money to secure government contracts.
Last month a court dropped the charges without giving reasons.
Who is Saulos Chilima?
- Prior to his political career, Dr Chilima held key leadership roles in multinational companies like Unilever and Coca Cola
- He is 51 years old
- He is married with two children
- Dr Chilima is described on the government’s website as a “performer”, “workaholic” and “an achiever”
- He holds a PhD in Knowledge Management
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