Malawi's Vice President Missing as Military Plane Vanishes

A military plane carrying Malawi's Vice President Saulos Chilima and nine others went missing after departing from Lilongwe and failing to land in Mzuzu. Authorities lost contact with the plane, triggering a search operation ordered by President Lazarus Chakwera, who has canceled a trip to the Bahamas.

A military plane carrying Malawi's Vice President Saulos Chilima and nine other passengers went missing on Monday, according to a statement from the president's office.

The aircraft departed from the capital, Lilongwe, but failed to make its scheduled landing at Mzuzu International Airport, approximately 370 kilometers (230 miles) to the north, after 45 minutes in the air.

Aviation authorities lost contact when the plane went off radar, prompting President Lazarus Chakwera to order an immediate search and rescue operation. The president has since canceled a planned trip to the Bahamas.