A Malawi Defence Force aircraft carrying the country’s Vice President, Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima, along with nine other officials, has been reported missing. The Office of the President and Cabinet announced this development in a statement issued on Monday, signed by the Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Colleen Zamba.
The aircraft departed from Lilongwe on Monday morning at 9:17 AM but failed to reach its scheduled destination at Mzuzu International Airport, where it was expected to land at 10:02 AM. The official statement emphasized that all attempts by Malawi’s aviation authorities to contact the aircraft since it went off the radar have been unsuccessful.
The statement from the Office of the President and Cabinet read, “The Office of the President and Cabinet wishes to inform the general public that the Malawi Defence Force aircraft that left Lilongwe today, Monday, 10th 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.”
In response to the situation, General Valentino Phiri, Commander of the Malawi Defence Force, has informed President Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera about the incident. Consequently, President Chakwera has canceled his planned trip to the Bahamas and has ordered an immediate search and rescue operation involving both regional and national agencies to locate the missing aircraft.
The public has been assured that they will be updated on any developments as new information becomes available. The government remains focused on finding the aircraft and ensuring the safety of the Vice President and other officials on board.