Intense Search for Missing Malawi Vice President's Plane Continues
Intense searches are underway in Malawi to locate a military plane carrying Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima and nine others, which vanished from radar after failing to land on Monday. The plane, which departed from the capital, Lilongwe, at 9:17 a.m. local time, was headed to the city of Mzuzu, 370 km to the northeast, to attend a funeral. The aircraft lost contact after encountering poor visibility due to inclement weather. 'I am clinging to the hope that we will find survivors,' said President Lazarus Chakwera in a televised message.
The president has assured the public that search operations are ongoing, refuting local media reports claiming otherwise. 'The soldiers are still on the ground carrying out the search, and I have given strict orders for the operation to continue until the plane is found,' he stated. President Chakwera also mentioned that international aid has been enlisted, with the United States, Britain, Norway, and Israel offering specialized technologies to expedite the search.
Earlier, President Chakwera had instructed regional and national forces to initiate an 'immediate search and rescue operation.' A telecommunications signal has narrowed the search to a 10 km radius around the Riaply wood crushing company, south of Mzuzu. Soldiers have been combing the Chikangawa forest area, where unconfirmed reports suggested sightings of a plane crash.
Vice President Chilima is a well-known political figure in Malawi, especially among young people. Despite being suspended from office in 2022 over corruption charges linked to an Anglo-Malawite businessman, the judiciary eventually dropped these charges in May 2023 after multiple court hearings.
- President Chakwera, who had planned a working visit to the Bahamas, canceled his trip to oversee the search operations. This decision underscores the gravity of the situation and the commitment of Malawi's leadership to resolve the crisis.
- Among the passengers was former Malawi First Lady Shanil Dzimbiri (Muluzi), adding further public concern and urgency to the search efforts.
