Soldiers are looking through mountainous forests in northern Malawi after an aircraft carrying Vice President Saulos Chilima and nine others went missing on Monday (June 10).

The plane carrying Vice President Saulos Chilima, former First Lady Shanil Dzimbiri&nbsp;and eight others departed from the capital, Lilongwe, at 9:17 am. The aircraft was scheduled to land 45 minutes later at Mzuzu International Airport, approximately 370 km (230 miles) to the north.

According to President Lazarus Chakwera’s address on broadcast live on state TV channel MBC on Monday night, air traffic control in Mzuzu had informed the pilots not to try landing and instead to turn around because of bad weather and poor visibility.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/malawi-people-protest-over-exorbitant-amount-of-living" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/malawi-people-protest-over-exorbitant-amount-of-living&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjPrIKmv9KGAxUEXmwGHSRIA3oQFnoECAcQAQ&amp;usg=AOvVaw2ndHztpPX1P9E64hWk8aAh&amp;arm=e&amp;fexp=72519171,72519168" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/malawi-people-protest-over-exorbitant-amount-of-living" target="_blank">Malawi: People protest over exorbitant amount of living</a>

However, air traffic control lost contact with the aircraft and it disappeared from radar a short time later, he said.

"I understand this is a heartbreaking situation. We are all frightened and concerned, and I share those concerns," Chakwera stated.&nbsp;

"But, I want to assure you that I am utilising every available resource to locate that plane. I am clinging to every ounce of hope that we will find survivors."

The president further informed that the US, UK, Norway and Israel had offered assistance in the search operation and had provided “specialised technologies” that the president hoped would help find the plane sooner.

He further said that the search would continue throughout the night and that authorities had used telecommunications towers to track the last known position of the plane to within a six-mile radius of one of the plantations that surround Mzuzu.

“I have issued strict orders for the operation to continue until the plane is found,” Chakwera said.

Chilima&nbsp;had been due to attend the funeral of Ralph Kasambara, a former minister of justice and attorney general, in the village of Chijere, east of Mzuzu.&nbsp;

The former minister was found dead after suffering heart failure last Friday, according to a government Facebook post.

It may be mentioned here that&nbsp;Malawi is experiencing heavy rains in some parts of the country, especially the north.

Chilima has been vice president since 2014. He earlier led the mobile network Airtel Malawi, as well as worked at Unilever, Coca Cola and Carlsberg, according to his profile on the government’s website.

(With inputs from agencies)

Soldiers are looking through mountainous forests in northern Malawi after an aircraft carrying Vice President Saulos Chilima and nine others went missing on Monday (June 10).

Soldiers are looking through mountainous forests in northern Malawi after an aircraft carrying Vice President Saulos Chilima and nine others went missing on Monday (June 10). The plane carrying Vice President Saulos Chilima, former First Lady Shanil Dzimbiri and eight others departed from the capital, Lilongwe, at 9:17 am. The aircraft was scheduled to land 45 minutes later at Mzuzu International Airport, approximately 370 km (230 miles) to the north. According to President Lazarus Chakwera’s address on broadcast live on state TV channel MBC on Monday night, air traffic control in Mzuzu had informed the pilots not to try landing and instead to turn around because of bad weather and poor visibility. Also read: Malawi: People protest over exorbitant amount of living However, air traffic control lost contact with the aircraft and it disappeared from radar a short time later, he said. "I understand this is a heartbreaking situation. We are all frightened and concerned, and I share those concerns," Chakwera stated. "But, I want to assure you that I am utilising every available resource to locate that plane. I am clinging to every ounce of hope that we will find survivors." The president further informed that the US, UK, Norway and Israel had offered assistance in the search operation and had provided “specialised technologies” that the president hoped would help find the plane sooner. He further said that the search would continue throughout the night and that authorities had used telecommunications towers to track the last known position of the plane to within a six-mile radius of one of the plantations that surround Mzuzu. “I have issued strict orders for the operation to continue until the plane is found,” Chakwera said. Chilima had been due to attend the funeral of Ralph Kasambara, a former minister of justice and attorney general, in the village of Chijere, east of Mzuzu. The former minister was found dead after suffering heart failure last Friday, according to a government Facebook post. It may be mentioned here that Malawi is experiencing heavy rains in some parts of the country, especially the north. Chilima has been vice president since 2014. He earlier led the mobile network Airtel Malawi, as well as worked at Unilever, Coca Cola and Carlsberg, according to his profile on the government’s website. (With inputs from agencies)

Malawi soldiers search mountain forests after plane carrying vice president disappears

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Malawi soldiers search mountain forests after plane carrying vice president disappears