A plane carrying Malawi’s Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima, along with nine others, disappeared on June 10.
The Malawi Office of the President reported that Chilima was onboard when the flight lost radar contact after departing from the capital, Lilongwe, on Monday, June 10, at 9:17 am.
Additionally, it stated that the Malawi Defense Force Aircraft transporting Chilima failed to land as scheduled at Mzuzu International Airport at 10:02 am.
“Upon arrival in Mzuzu the pilot was unable to land the plane due to poor visibility occasioned by bad weather the aviation authority advised the craft to return to Lilongwe but the authority soon lost contact with the aircraft,” Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera said.
Following the news, old photos depicting a plane crash allegedly involving Saulos Chilima have widely circulated online.
However, this information is false, as the shared plane was not the one used to transport the Vice President.
Photos of a Plane Crash Shared is of a Past Plane Crash
A reverse search by The Kenya Times revealed that the photo of the plane was taken on September 26, 2020.
Also, a fact check showed that the image was not taken in Malawi and was first published by the Xinhua News.
Additionally, the image depicted the crash site of an Antonov (An)-26 military aircraft in Chuguev, Kharkiv region, Ukraine.
Also Read: Latest on Malawi Vice President Whose Chopper Went Missing
The An-26 military aircraft, carrying 27 people, crashed while performing a training flight and was landing at the airfield of a military base near the city of President Chuguev, Kharkiv region.
The crash occurred just a mile from the plane’s airfield and minutes after its crew had requested permission to land after suffering an engine failure.
Malawi Army Gives Update on the Rescue Mission of the Plane
Amid the growing suspense surrounding the fate of the plane carrying Vice President Chilima, the Malawi Defense Forces has explained why efforts to trace the aircraft were taking long.
Malawi Defence Force Commander Paul Valentino Phiri said that search and rescue operations had been hampered by thick forest and foggy weather affecting ground visibility.
Furthermore, the 10 km radius identified as where the last signal of the plane was received is an inhabitant area hindering access. 200 soldiers, according to Malawian Military, have been involved in the rescue operation.
Malawi’s information minister announced that the country has asked Angola’s space agency for help in locating the missing plane.
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President Chakwera said he has contacted the governments of various countries, including the US, UK, Norway and Israel, who had all offered support “in different capacities” to help find the plane.
The chopper also had former first lady Shanil Dzimbiri on board.
Chilima who is a potential candidate in the 2025 presidential election, was arrested in 2022 over graft allegations.
However, a Malawi court dropped the charges against him last month after the director of public prosecutions filed a notice to discontinue the case. Chilima has denied any wrongdoing.
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