Unfortunately, all on board have perished in the crash, the Office of the President and Cabinet said in a statement.
The confirmation came after more than a day-long search effort in a forested area in the mountains of northern Malawi.
It all happened when an aircraft carrying Saulos Chilima, along with nine others, has gone missing.
According to a statement from the president’s office, the Malawi Defense Force aircraft “went off the radar” after departing from the nation’s capital, Lilongwe, on Monday, June 10, 2024.
Reports stated that the president ordered a search and rescue operation when aviation officials lost contact with the aircraft.
It was scheduled to land at Mzuzu International Airport, in the northern region of the country, shortly after 10:00 local time (11:00 BST).
Upon learning of the incident, Malawi’s President Lazarus Chakwera cancelled his planned flight to the Bahamas.
Speaking to the nation, Chakwera announced that Chilima, accompanied by his wife, along with seven military officers and one additional passenger, were aboard a compact military aircraft.
