By Frank Kamuntu
A Malawi Defense Force Aircraft with Vice President Saulos Chilima and nine others on board has gone missing, the country’s presidency has said.
In a statement, secretary to the President and cabinet, Colleen Zamba, said the plane failed to land as scheduled and efforts by aviation authorities to make contact with the aircraft have failed thus far.
Zamba said the plane, which left the capital Lilongwe at 9.17am, failed to make its scheduled landing at Mzuzu International Airport at 10.02am.
“As such the Commander of the Malawi Defence Forces, Gen Valentino Phiri, has since informed his Excellency Dr Lazarus Chakwera of the incident and the president has since cancelled his departures for the Bahamas,” Zamba said.
She added that the president has ordered all regional and national agencies to conduct an immediate search and rescue operation to locate the whereabouts of the aircraft.
“The public will be updated of any developments on the situation as facts are established,” Zamba said.
