The search and rescue operation for the missing plane carrying Malawi Vice President Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima and nine other occupants has ended in tragedy, as all individuals on board have been found dead.
In a statement on Tuesday, Colleen Zamba, the Secretary to the President, confirmed that the aircraft was located in Chikangawa Forest. The plane had been missing for hours, prompting an immediate and extensive rescue operation ordered by President Lazarus Chakwera.
“The aircraft, which was carrying the Vice President, the Right Honourable Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima, and nine others, was found this morning in the Chikangawa Forest. Unfortunately, all on board have perished in the crash,” the statement read.
The search and rescue efforts were carried out by a coalition of agencies, including the Malawi Defense Force, the Police Service, and the Department of Civil Aviation. The plane had gone off the radar after departing from the capital, Lilongwe, at 9:17 am, with a scheduled landing at Mzuzu International Airport at 10:02 am.
President Chakwera had cancelled his planned departure for the Bahamas to oversee the search and rescue operations personally. The tragic incident has left the nation in mourning, with further details and investigations expected to follow.