- VP Saulos Chilima's plane goes missing with 10 on board.
- Plane lost contact after taking off from Lilongwe, Malawi.
- President Chakwera cancels trip to oversee search efforts.
- Investigation underway to determine cause of disappearance.
An aircraft carrying Malawi’s Vice-President Saulos Chilima and nine others has gone missing, a statement from the president’s office has said. The Malawi Defense Force aircraft “went off the radar” after it left the capital, Lilongwe, on Monday morning.
According to the statement, the aircraft was scheduled to land at Mzuzu International Airport, in the country’s north, just after 10:00 local time (11:00 BST). However, aviation officials were unable to contact the aircraft, prompting the president to order a search and rescue operation.
The Malawi Defense Force has deployed its resources to search for the missing aircraft, with support from regional and national agencies. President Lazarus Chakwera has cancelled his scheduled flight to the Bahamas to oversee the search efforts.
The statement from the president’s office assured the public that a thorough search operation is underway to locate the missing aircraft. The cause of the disappearance is still unknown, and an investigation is underway to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The public has been urged to remain calm and await further updates from the authorities. The incident has sparked concern across the country, with many taking to social media to pray for the safe return of the Vice-President and those on board.
