The aircraft carrying Malawi’s Vice President Saulos Chilima and nine others has reportedly gone missing.
The Malawi Defense Force aircraft “went off the radar” after it left the nation’s capital, Lilongwe, on Monday, June 10, 2024.
This was disclosed in a statement by the secretary to the president and cabinet, Colleen Zamba.
According to the statement, Chilima was on his way to Mzuzu, where he was expected to connect to Nkhata Bay for the burial of the late Ralph Kasambala, a former Minister of Justice.
The statement reads: “The Office of the President and Cabinet wishes to inform the general public that the Malawi Defense Force Aircraft that left Lilongwe today, Monday 10” June 2024 at 09:17 Hours, carrying the Vice President, the Right Honourable Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima, and nine others, failed to make its scheduled landing at Mzuzu International Airport at 10:02.
“All efforts by aviation authorities to make contact with the Aircraft since it went off the radar have failed thus far.
“As such, the Commander of the Malawi Defense Force, General Valentino Phiri, has since informed His Excellency Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera of the incident and the President has since canceled his scheduled departure for the Bahamas and ordered all regional and national agencies to conduct an immediate search and rescue operation to locate the whereabouts of the aircraft.
“The public will be updated of any developments on the situation as facts are established.“
