Search Continues For Missing Aircraft Carrying Malawi Vice President

Search and rescue operations will persist until the missing aircraft carrying Malawi’s Vice President, Saulos Klaus Chilima, is found, announced President Lazarus Chakwera in a televised address late on Monday. The aircraft, a military plane, went missing on Monday morning after departing from the capital, Lilongwe, at 9:17 a.m. local time (0717 GMT).

Vice President Chilima, 51, along with nine others, was aboard the plane which was scheduled to land at Mzuzu Airport at 10:02 a.m. However, due to poor visibility, the plane was unable to land and was instructed to return to the capital. Communication with the aircraft was lost, prompting immediate search efforts.

Aviation authorities have been unable to re-establish contact with the aircraft since it went off the radar. In his address, President Chakwera expressed hope for finding survivors, stating, “I’m holding on to every fibre of hope that we’ll find survivors.” He indicated that the search is focused around a 10 km (6 mile) radius in a forest reserve, and assured that efforts will continue unabated until the aircraft is located.

President Chakwera has also reached out for international assistance, requesting support from neighboring countries, as well as the governments of the United States, Britain, Norway, and Israel to aid in the rescue operations.