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The search continues for Malawi’s Vice President, Saulos Klaus Chilima, after his aircraft went missing on Monday. President Lazarus Chakwera has pledged that search and rescue operations will persist until the plane and its passengers are found.
Vice President Chilima, 51, was traveling on a military aircraft with nine others. The plane departed from Lilongwe, the capital, at 09:17 a.m. but lost contact with aviation authorities before its scheduled landing at Mzuzu Airport at 10:02 a.m.
According to President Chakwera, poor visibility at the airport forced the pilot to turn back to the capital. Tragically, the aircraft disappeared from radar shortly thereafter. In a televised address, Chakwera expressed his deep concern: “I’m holding on to every fibre of hope that we’ll find survivors,” he said, noting the search is concentrated around a 10 km radius in a forest reserve.
Despite the challenging terrain, search efforts involving both national and regional agencies continue by vehicle and on foot. Malawi has also reached out to neighboring countries, and the governments of the U.S., Britain, Norway, and Israel for support.
Vice President Chilima was en route to attend the funeral of former attorney general Ralph Kasambara. Chilima, a potential candidate for the 2025 presidential election, recently had corruption charges against him dropped, allegations he has always denied.
President Chakwera and Vice President Chilima have had a complex political history, having formed a coalition in 2019 after challenging a disputed election result. Their partnership led to a victorious re-election in 2020.
As the search for the missing aircraft continues, the nation remains on edge, hopeful for a positive outcome amidst this troubling situation.
