•Soldiers have been searching Chikangawa Forest in an effort to find the plane.
•Malawi Defence Force commander Paul Valentino Phiri said fog has reduced visibility in the forest, thus complicating search efforts.
Image: SAULOS CHILIMA/X
An aircraft carrying Malawi's vice president went missing on Monday Morning leaving the world in panic over the fate of its occupants.
The VP Saulos Chilima and nine others were flying within the country when their aircraft disappeared from airport radars.
But how did it happen?
At 7:05am on Monday, a Malawi Defence Force Aircraft Number MAF TO3 left Mzuzu Airfield and landed at Kamuzu International Airport at 7:48am.
The aircraft was to carry the Vice President to Mzuzu to attend the funeral of the Former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Ralph Kasambara.
At 9:17am, the aircraft departed Kamuzu International Airport with the Vice President and 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 occasioned by bad weather.
Aviation Authorities immediately advised the aircraft to return to Lilongwe, but the authorities immediately lost contact with the aircraft.
It's at this point that the MDF Commander contacted President Lazarus Chakwera immediately.
“I ordered the commander to effect a search and rescue operation and to give me a report within four hours,” President Chakwera said.
He received the report at 3 pm 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.
This area has since become the area of focus for the MDF search and rescue operation.
“MDF soldiers are still on the ground searching and I have given strict orders that the operation should continue until the plane is found,” Chakwera said.
Chakwera then called for a press conference to update the media on what was unfolding.
“I have also directed the MDF officials who are overseeing the operation to give you all regular updates on how the operation is going," he said.
Early Tuesday, a senior military official told the BBC that the plane may have crashed in a forest in the north of the country.
Soldiers have been searching Chikangawa Forest to find the plane.
Malawi Defence Force commander Paul Valentino Phiri said fog has reduced visibility in the forest, thus complicating search efforts.