Saulos Chilima: What to know as Malawi’s vice president, others go missing

The nation of Malawi has been thrown into panic as a military plane carrying Vice President Saulos Chilima and nine others has reportedly gone missing, according to a BBC report quoting a statement from the president’s office.

The event occurred on Monday morning when the Malawi Defense Force aircraft “went off the radar” after it left the capital, Lilongwe. The aircraft, which was scheduled to land at Mzuzu International Airport, about 370 kilometers to the north, failed to do so approximately an hour after takeoff.

Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera said that aviation authorities lost contact with the plane when it “went off radar.” He added, “All efforts to make contact with the aircraft since it went off radar have failed thus far.”

A search for the missing individuals is now underway, as President Chakwera has ordered national and local authorities to “conduct an immediate search and rescue operation to locate the whereabouts of the aircraft.”

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The public will be informed of the latest developments. As revealed in the statement, “The public will be updated of any developments on the situation as facts are established.”

The tragic event occurred when Mr. Chilima was on his way to represent the government at the burial of former cabinet minister Ralph Kasambara, who passed on the 7th of June.

Mr. Chilima held key leadership roles in multinational companies, including Unilever and Coca-Cola, before becoming vice president.