President Lazarus Chakwera says search and rescue operations will continue until the missing aircraft carrying Malawi’s Vice President, Saulos Klaus Chilima, is found.
The southern African nation’s president made this announcement late on Monday in an address on national TV. In an earlier statement from the presidency, it was noted that Chilima departed Lilongwe, the nation’s capital, with nine others on board at 09:17 a.m. (07:17 GMT). However, efforts by the aviation ministry to contact the aircraft since it went off the radar have failed. The plane had been scheduled to arrive at Mzuzu Airport at 10:02 a.m.
The plane was unable to land at the airport due to poor visibility and was ordered to return to the capital, President Chakwera said in a televised address to the nation.
“I’m holding on to every fibre of hope that we’ll find survivors,” he said, adding that the search area was concentrated around a 10 km radius in a forest reserve. “I have given strict orders that the operation should continue until the plane is found.” Chakwera stated that Malawi was collaborating with neighbouring countries and foreign governments for support in the rescue efforts.
Chilima, 51, seen as a potential candidate in next year’s presidential election, was arrested in 2022 over corruption charges. However, a Malawi court dropped the corruption charges against him last month after the director of public prosecutions filed a notice for the case to be discontinued.
