Efforts to locate a missing military plane carrying Malawi’s Vice President Saulos Chilima, a former first lady, and eight others ramped up on Tuesday, June 11.
The aircraft is feared to have crashed while flying over the mountainous northern region of the country.
The plane, which disappeared on Monday morning, was en route from Lilongwe, the capital, to Mzuzu, a city approximately 370 kilometers (230 miles) to the north.
Aboard were 51-year-old Vice President Chilima and former First Lady Shanil Dzimbiri, who were traveling to attend the funeral of a former government minister.
There were other seven passengers and three military crew members.
President Lazarus Chakwera detailed the sequence of events leading up to the disappearance.
Air traffic controllers had instructed the pilot to avoid landing at Mzuzu’s airport due to severe weather conditions and poor visibility, recommending a return to Lilongwe. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft lost contact and disappeared from radar.
The plane was a small, propeller-driven model operated by the Malawian armed forces. In response to the incident, around 600 personnel were deployed in a search operation across the Viphya Mountains near Mzuzu.
This team includes 300 police officers, soldiers, forest rangers, and members of the Malawi Red Cross, who are using drones to aid the search.
In a televised address on Monday night, President Chakwera assured the nation that search efforts would persist around the clock until the aircraft was located.
He emphasized the use of telecommunications towers to narrow down the plane’s last known position to a 10-kilometer (6-mile) radius within a plantation area, which has become the focal point of the search.
“I have given strict orders that the operation should continue until the plane is found,” Chakwera declared, expressing his deep concern and urging Malawians to hold onto hope for survivors.
International support has been offered, with the US, the UK, Norway, and Israel providing specialized technologies to assist in the search. The US Embassy in Malawi has also contributed a Department of Defense small C-12 plane to aid in the efforts.
Former first lady Shanil Dzimbiri, one of the passengers, is the ex-wife of former President Bakili Muluzi. Vice President Chilima had just returned from an official visit to South Korea the day before the flight.
A Call For Prayer and Hope
President Chakwera called on the nation to pray for those on board and their families during this distressing time.
Chilima has been serving as vice president since 2020, having previously run in the 2019 presidential election where he finished third.
The election was later annulled by Malawi’s Constitutional Court due to irregularities, leading to a historic rerun in 2020 where Chakwera was elected president. It marked the first time in Africa that a court-overturned election result led to the defeat of an incumbent president.
Chilima recently faced corruption charges, accused of accepting money to influence government contracts.
However, the charges were dropped last month, which led to criticisms of the Chakwera administration’s approach to tackling corruption. Chilima had denied the allegations.
While the search teams continue their efforts, the nation waits in anxious anticipation for any news.
President Chakwera’s commitment to utilizing every available resource highlights the urgency and gravity of the situation.
The collective hope of Malawi rests on the swift and safe resolution of this crisis, with thoughts and prayers directed towards those missing and their families.
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