Military personnel are combing through the rugged forests near a city in northern Malawi following the disappearance of a military aircraft carrying the country’s vice president and a former first lady on Monday, according to President Lazarus Chakwera.
The aircraft, transporting 51-year-old Vice President Saulos Chilima, former first lady Shanil Dzimbiri, and eight others, departed from the capital, Lilongwe, at 9:17 a.m. It was expected to arrive at Mzuzu International Airport, approximately 370 kilometers (230 miles) to the north, 45 minutes later.
However, due to adverse weather conditions and poor visibility, air traffic control advised against landing, prompting the aircraft to turn back. Shortly after losing contact with air traffic control, the plane disappeared from radar, Chakwera stated in a live broadcast on state TV channel MBC.
Expressing empathy for the distressing situation, Chakwera assured the public of exhaustive search efforts, emphasizing his unwavering hope for survivors.
Mzuzu, Malawi’s third-largest city and the administrative center of the northern region, is situated amidst hilly, forested terrain dominated by the Viphya mountain range, characterized by extensive pine plantations.
Chakwera pledged continuous search operations throughout the night, revealing that telecommunications towers helped pinpoint the aircraft’s last known location within a 10-kilometer (6-mile) radius of one of the plantations, where the Malawi Defense Force spearheaded rescue efforts.
Acknowledging international support from the U.S., the U.K., Norway, and Israel, Chakwera expressed gratitude for their provision of specialized technologies to expedite the search process.
Dzimbiri, the former spouse of ex-President Bakili Muluzi, was identified as one of the passengers, en route to attend a former government minister’s funeral. The aircraft also carried three military crew members, the president disclosed.
Chakwera urged Malawians to unite in prayer for the safety of all passengers and their families.
Vice President Chilima, in office since 2020, previously contested in the 2019 Malawian presidential election, finishing third. The election results were annulled due to irregularities, leading to a historic rerun in 2020, which saw Chakwera’s victory, marking the first instance in Africa where a court-overturned election outcome led to the defeat of the incumbent president.
Despite facing corruption allegations related to government contract influence, charges against Chilima were dropped last month, prompting criticism of Chakwera’s administration for its perceived leniency on corruption.
Chilima, arrested in late 2022, awaits trial, maintaining his innocence against the accusations.
