By Ollus Ndomu
Lilongwe, June 11, 2024 – The search for the missing plane carrying Malawi’s Vice President, Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima, and nine others continues with international assistance, as confirmed by President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera in a national address.
The plane, which lost contact with air traffic control en route from Lilongwe to Mzuzu, has prompted an extensive search and rescue mission. President Chakwera assured the nation that every available resource is being deployed to locate the aircraft and its passengers. He instructed the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) to maintain continuous search efforts and provide regular updates to avoid misinformation.
In a press briefing this morning, Malawi’s Minister of Information disclosed that the government has engaged communications regulators in Zambia and Tanzania to provide technical support and expertise. The Minister also confirmed that Malawi’s emergency telecommunications operations centre has been activated to support the search operations.
Additionally, the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra) has sought assistance from the Angola Space Agency to provide satellite imagery, enhancing the search capabilities. The minister urged Malawians to avoid politicizing the situation and called for responsible reporting.
President Chakwera emphasized his commitment to ensuring the safe return of Vice President Chilima and the others on board, including Lukas Kapheni, Chisomo Chimaneni, Gloria Mtukule, Shanil Dzimbiri, Dan Kanyemba, Abdul Lapukeni, Colonel Sambalopa, Major Selemani, and Major Aidin. He has also reached out to neighbouring countries and development partners, including the US, UK, Norway, and Israel, for further support.
The President called on the nation to unite in prayer for the missing passengers and reiterated his administration’s determination to leave no stone unturned in this critical search and rescue mission. This is a developing story, and further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
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