Mystery of Missing Military Plane Prompts Urgent Search in Malawi

Malawi officials initiated an extensive search effort after a military aircraft, transporting the nation’s vice president along with nine other individuals, vanished on Monday.

Vice President Saulos Chilima boarded the flight from Lilongwe, the capital, but it lost contact roughly 45 minutes later, failing to land at Mzuzu International Airport, located about 370 kilometers (230 miles) north.

Aviation officials reported that the plane “went off radar,” as stated by the office of Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera.

Efforts to reestablish communication with the aircraft have proven unsuccessful, according to a formal announcement from Malawi’s Office of the President and Cabinet.

Chilima, 51, was flying on a Malawi Defense Force plane that departed at 09:17 a.m. local time (0717 GMT), with search and rescue missions actively underway.

The aircraft was expected to arrive at Mzuzu International Airport by 10:02 a.m., based on the timeline provided.

In response to the crisis, President Chakwera ordered the search operation and canceled his planned trip to the Bahamas, as outlined by his office.

The unfolding situation remains tense, and the nation hopes for a swift resolution to this alarming disappearance.