Malawian soldiers are combing the mountainous forests near Mzuzu, a city in northern Malawi, after a military plane carrying Vice President Saulos Chilima and former first lady Shanil Dzimbiri went missing on Monday. The aircraft, which departed from the capital Lilongwe at 9:17 a.m., was scheduled to land at Mzuzu International Airport approximately 45 minutes later but lost contact with air traffic control shortly before its expected arrival.
President Lazarus Chakwera announced that search and rescue efforts would continue until the missing aircraft is found. The Office of the President and Cabinet confirmed that efforts to reestablish contact with the aircraft have been unsuccessful since it vanished from radar. Due to bad weather and poor visibility, air traffic control instructed the plane to turn around and not attempt a landing. The last known position of the aircraft, identified using telecommunications towers, was within a 10-kilometer radius in one of the region’s vast pine plantations.
“I know this is a heartbreaking situation. I know we are all frightened and concerned. I too am concerned,” President Chakwera stated in a televised address. “But I want to assure you that I am sparing no available resource to find that plane. And I am holding onto every fiber of hope that we will find survivors.”
Mzuzu, Malawi’s third-largest city, is located in a hilly and forested area dominated by the Viphya mountain range. The difficult terrain has complicated search efforts, which are being led by the Malawi Defense Force. President Chakwera emphasized that operations would persist through the night and highlighted the support offered by international partners, including the U.S., the U.K., Norway, and Israel, who have provided specialized technologies to aid in the search.
The aircraft was carrying the group to attend the funeral of a former government minister. Among those on board were three military crew members. President Chakwera urged Malawians to pray for the passengers and their families during this difficult time.
Vice President Chilima, 51, has held his position since 2020. He previously ran for president in 2019, finishing third in a controversial election that was later annulled by Malawi’s Constitutional Court due to irregularities. He then joined Chakwera’s successful campaign in a historic 2020 election rerun, which marked the first time in Africa that a court-overturned election resulted in the defeat of a sitting president.
Recently, Chilima faced corruption charges over allegations that he received money in exchange for influencing government contracts. Although these charges were dropped last month, leading to criticism of President Chakwera’s administration for its perceived leniency towards corruption, Chilima has consistently denied the allegations.
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