A military aircraft carrying Vice President Saulos Chilima along with nine other individuals, has gone missing. The aircraft vanished shortly after takeoff from the capital city, Lilongwe and failed to land at its destination in Mzuzu due to weather conditions.
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The aircraft, carrying Vice President Saulos Chilima and former first lady Shanil Dzimbiri (Muluzi) along with eight others went missing on Monday.
The plane took off at 9:00 am local time (0700 GMT) from Lilongwe, destined for Mzuzu, a journey of approximately 370 kilometers (230 miles). The group was en route to attend the funeral of a former cabinet minister.
Due to poor visibility and bad weather in Mzuzu, the pilot was unable to land the aircraft. Aviation authorities advised the pilot to return to Lilongwe. However, contact with the aircraft was lost shortly thereafter.
President Lazarus Chakwera assured the nation that no resource would be spared in the search for the missing aircraft.
Soldiers and other search teams are actively searching for the plane using torches and conducting ground searches.
The search is focused on a 10-kilometer radius around Riaply, a timber milling company located south of Mzuzu, where the last telecommunication signal from the plane was detected.
President Chakwera has reached out to several countries including the US, Britain, Norway and Israel, for support in the search efforts. The United States has offered a military C-12 aircraft to assist in the search and rescue operations.
President Chakwera has addressed the urgency and importance of the search operation, insisting that it will continue until the aircraft is found.
Regular updates are being promised to the public and search operations have not been discontinued overnight, contrary to some local media reports.
Vice President Saulos Chilima has been serving since 2014 and is well-regarded especially among the youth in Malawi. He faced legal challenges in 2022, being charged with corruption but was cleared of all charges last month.
The former first lady, Shanil Dzimbiri (Muluzi) was also on the ill-fated flight. Her presence highlights the incident as she is a notable public figure.
There have been unverified reports of a plane crash in a forested area. Eye witnesses allegedly saw a plane descending rapidly. These reports are still under investigation as the search teams continue their efforts.
The plane in question belonged to the Malawi Defense Force. It was carrying a total of ten individuals including Chilima, his wife Mary and other officials.
The aircraft faced poor visibility and bad weather as it approached Mzuzu International Airport. Air traffic control advised the pilots not to attempt a landing and to turn back towards Lilongwe.
After the plane turned around, it lost contact with aviation authorities and disappeared from radar within minutes. The communication breakdown occurred shortly after the instruction to return to Lilongwe was issued.
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President Lazarus Chakwera promptly deployed a search and rescue operation enlisting both national and regional agencies.
Efforts to locate the aircraft were prioritized given the importance of the occupants and the urgency of the situation.
The search operations were concentrated in a six-mile radius in the northern region of Malawi, particularly around the Chikangawa Forest, a densely wooded and mountainous area.
The search teams composed of military and police officers, struggled with the difficult terrain and thick forests, making the task of locating the aircraft particularly challenging.
Malawi’s government sought aid from neighboring countries and allies such as the United States, Britain, Norway and Israel, leveraging their technological capabilities for support in the search efforts.
After extensive search efforts, the aircraft was discovered in the Chikangawa Forest. Unfortunately, it was confirmed that all ten occupants including Vice President Chilima, were deceased.
The Office of the President and Cabinet issued a formal statement detailing the accident. President Chakwera expressed sorrow and grief.
Saulos Chilima, aged 51 was a prominent figure in Malawi’s politics. He initially gained recognition as a telecommunications executive before venturing into politics around a decade ago.
In 2022, Saulos Chilima was in a huge corruption scandal, accused of accepting bribes from a businessman in exchange for government contracts.
Although he denied any wrongdoing, the allegations marred his reputation and the credibility of the administration. However, all charges were dropped last month.
Saulos Chilima was considered a strong candidate for the Malawian presidency in the upcoming 2025 elections. His political journey saw him transition from being a rival to President Chakwera to forming a coalition that successfully contested and won the 2020 election.
Saulos Chilima held roles in several big companies including Airtel Malawi, Unilever, Coca Cola, and Carlsberg.
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