A Malawi Defense Force aircraft carrying Vice President Saulos Chilima and nine others has gone missing, according to the country’s presidency.
Colleen Zamba, secretary to the president and cabinet, said in a statement that the plane did not land as planned, and that efforts by aviation authorities to contact the aircraft have so far failed.
Zamba stated that the plane, which left Lilongwe at 9.17 a.m., did not arrive at Mzuzu International Airport at 10.02 a.m. as scheduled.
According to the statement, President Lazarus Chakwera has directed regional and national forces to conduct an “immediate search and rescue operation to locate the whereabouts of the aircraft”.
Chakwera, who was scheduled to travel to the Bahamas for a work visit, has since cancelled his trip.
“As such the Commander of the Malawi Defence Forces, Gen Valentino Phiri, has since infomed his Excellency Dr Lazarus Chakwera of the incident and the president has since cancelled his departures for the Bahamas,” Zamba said.
She added that the president has directed all regional and national agencies to launch an immediate search and rescue operation to locate the aircraft.
“The public will be updated of any developments on the situation as facts are esytablished,” Zamba said.
Chilima was stripped of his powers in 2022 after being arrested and charged with graft in connection with a bribery scandal involving a British-Malawian businessman.
A Malawian court dropped the charges against Chilima last month after he appeared in court several times.
