Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera reaffirmed Monday that search operations to find a military plane carrying the country's vice president, Saulos Chilima, would continue "until the plane is found" . *
This statement comes after the disappearance of the device, which occurred during a short flight from the capital to a mountainous region in the north of the country.
The plane, which was also carrying nine other people, left Lilongwe, Malawi's capital, at 9:17 a.m. However, it disappeared from radar and did not land as planned about 45 minutes later at Mzuzu International Airport, located about 370 kilometers (230 miles) to the north. Mzuzu, Malawi's third largest city and capital of the northern region, lies in a hilly, forested area dominated by the Viphya mountain range, known for its extensive pine plantations.
Faced with this critical situation, President Chakwera immediately ordered a search and rescue operation.
Teams of soldiers, police and other responders are currently searching wooded areas around Mzuzu for the missing plane. Malawi's The Times media group reported that operations are focusing on these densely forested areas, due to visibility difficulties and unfavorable weather conditions.
Chakwera also denied rumors that search operations had been suspended, saying Malawi Defense Force (MDF) soldiers were still on the ground. He gave strict instructions for the operation to continue until the plane is found and asked MDF officials to provide regular updates to keep the public informed of progress.
"I know some media outlets have reported that search and rescue operations have been suspended, but that is not true. MDF soldiers are still on the ground carrying out searches and I have given strict instructions that the operation continues until the plane is found ,” the president said.
Vice President Saulos Chilima, 51, was on his way to Mzuzu for an official visit when the plane disappeared. The situation remains critical and the entire nation is awaiting new information regarding the fate of the passengers on board.
This is ensuring ongoing updates and efforts.
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