Search Underway for Missing Malawian VP's Plane
Malawian authorities have not released details on the other passengers aboard the military flight or speculated on possible causes for its disappearance from radar.
LILONGWE, Malawi-- The plane carrying Malawi's Vice President Saulos Chilima went missing Monday morning shortly after taking off from the capital, prompting President Lazarus Chakwera to cancel an overseas trip and mobilize a multi-agency search operation, Secretary to the Office of the President and Cabinet said, writes Winston Mwale.
Colleen Zamba confirmed the aircraft with Chilima and eight others aboard departed Lilongwe at 9:17 a.m. bound for Mzuzu but never landed at the scheduled 10:02 a.m. arrival time, she said in a statement.Â
"Air traffic controllers tried but failed to make contact with those on the plane," Zamba said.
The reason for the loss of communication remains unclear.
Chakwera has scrapped plans to travel to the Bahamas and is instead coordinating search efforts both within Malawi and across the region to locate the missing plane, according to Zamba.
"For now, Chakwera has instructed various agencies within and outside the country to assist in the search for the missing aircraft's whereabouts," Zamba stated.
The vice president had been en route to Mzuzu before continuing to Nkhata Bay for a memorial service, according to earlier reports from local media outlets Nation Online and Zodiak Online.
Malawian authorities have not released details on the other passengers aboard the military flight or speculated on possible causes for its disappearance from radar.
The search operation is ongoing.