Aircraft Carrying Malawi Vice President Goes Missing

Posted by: lukwago J in World news June 11, 2024

Lilongwe, Malawi – In a distressing turn of events, a Malawi Defence Force aircraft carrying Vice-President Saulos Chilima and nine others has gone missing, according to a statement from the president’s office.

The plane, which departed the capital Lilongwe on Monday morning, failed to reach its destination at Mzuzu International Airport.

President Lazarus Chakwera, in a late-night address, expressed deep concern over the situation, stating that a search and rescue operation is ongoing. “Soldiers are still on the ground carrying out the search and I have given strict orders that the operation should continue until the plane is found,” he said, describing the incident as “heart-breaking.”

The reason for the aircraft ‘s disappearance remains unknown, with General Valentino Phiri informing the president that the plane “went off the radar” shortly after takeoff. Information Minister Moses Kunkuyu has confirmed that the search efforts are “intensive.”

Chilima, a prominent figure in Malawi’s political landscape, was en route to represent the government at the funeral of former cabinet minister Ralph Kasambara. The airport in Mzuzu was the closest to the burial location.

Notably, Chilima’s political career has not been without controversy. In 2022, he was arrested and charged with allegations of accepting money in exchange for government contracts, though the charges were later dropped without explanation.

As the nation holds its collective breath, the search for the missing plane and its passengers continues, with the president vowing to spare no resource in the effort to find survivors and uncover the truth behind this unfolding tragedy.

Iranian president

In similar news earlier reported by NEWSLEXPOINT.com, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi lost his life after the helicopter he and other officials were flying in crashed during bad weather in a mountainous and forested region of the nation.

It was further reported that all the occupants of this chopper died including the Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.

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