The government of Malawi has asked neighbouring countries to help them amid a plane ferrying vice-president Saulos Chilima and nine other passengers went missing on Monday.

The Malawi Defence Force aircraft “went off the radar” after it left the nation’s capital, Lilongwe.

The Office of the President and cabinet informed the public that the Malawi Defence Force Aircraft that left Lilongwe on Monday at 9.17am, carrying Chilima, and nine others, failed to make its scheduled landing at Mzuzu International Airport at 10.02am.

The secretary of the president and cabinet Colleen Zamba confirmed that all efforts by aviation authorities to make contact with the aircraft since it went off the radar, have failed.

“As such, the Commander of the Malawi Defence Force (MDF), General Valentino Phiri, has since informed president Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera of the incident and he has since cancelled his scheduled departure for the Bahamas and ordered all regional and national agencies to conduct an immediate search and rescue operation to locate the whereabouts of the aircraft,” Zamba said.

President Chakwera said he came out of an emergency cabinet meeting that he convened on Monday night, to update the senior government officials about the latest developments in the search of the missing aircraft that carried Chilima, from Lilongwe to Mzuzu to attend the funeral of former attorney-general and minister of justice, Ralph Kasambara.

“Although I stand before you with a heart too heavy for words and though I know that you are all filled with more anxiety than words can soothe, I humbly beg your pardon and ask you to allow me to tell you what we know so far,” Chakwera said.

The vice-president was travelling with nine other individuals on board, including Lukas Kapheni, Chisomo Chimaneni, Gloria Mtukule, Shanil Dzimbiri, Dan Kanyemba, Abdul Lapukeni, as well as Colonel Sambalopa, Major Selemani, and Major Aidin, who were the MDF officers operating the aircraft.

However, upon arrival in Mzuzu, the pilot was unable to land the plane due to poor visibility caused by bad weather. Aviation authorities advised the aircraft to return to Lilongwe but authorities soon lost contact with the aircraft.

“The MDF commander contacted me immediately and I ordered him to effect a search and rescue operation and to give me a report within four hours. That report was given to me at 3pm, and by that time it had been established using signals from telecommunication towers in the area that the plane was located somewhere within a 10km radius of Raiply, which has since become the area of focus for the MDF search and rescue operation.

“I know that some media outlets have reported that the search and rescue operation has been suspended, but this is false. MDF soldiers are still on the ground carrying out the search and I have given strict orders that the operation should continue until the plane is found. I have also directed the MDF officials who are overseeing the operation to give you all regular updates on how the operation is going so that we can all be informed about the progress of establishing what happened to our loved ones, our colleagues, and our fellow compatriots who were on board that flight.

“I know that this is a heartbreaking situation. I know we are all scared and worried. I too am concerned. But I want to assure you that I am sparing no available resources to find that plane, and I am holding on to every fibre of hope that we will find survivors,” Chakwera said.

They had contacted neighbouring countries, as well as development partners, including the US government, the British government, the Norwegian government, and the Israeli government, who have offered support in different forms, including the use of specialised technologies that will enhance capacity to find the plane sooner.

“Until I address you again, I ask you to use the MDF updates as an official source of information so that you are not misled by hearsay, and more than anything, I ask you to pray for those who were on board and for their families. But come what may, I assure you that God is with us and will see us through this dark tunnel, especially if we stick together and help each other,” Chakwera said.

The Star

ntombi.nkosi@inl.co.za

#dr-lazarus-chakwera

Malawian vice-president Saulos Chilima and nine others still missing

Ronald Lamola insists Shepherd Bushiri and wife will ‘definitely’ be brought back to SA to face justice