The plane, carrying Chilima, former first lady Shanile Jimbiri and eight others, took off from the capital Lilongwe at 9.17am and was due to land 45 minutes later at Mzuzu International Airport.
Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera said in a speech that air traffic controllers at Mzuzu ordered pilots to turn around due to adverse weather conditions and poor visibility. Communication with the plane was then lost and it disappeared from radar.
Chakwera said the United States, Britain, Norway and Israel have offered to help with the search operation and provide advanced equipment that he hopes will help find the plane faster. “I have given strict orders to continue the operation until the plane is found,” Chakwera said. He canceled a planned visit to the Bahamas.
Chilima, 51, was due to attend the funeral of Ralph Kasambara, former Minister of Justice and Attorney General. Let us remember that Kasambara, 55 years old, died last Friday due to a heart attack.
