Aircraft carrying Malawi vice-president goes missing

LILONGWE,  Malawi 

An aircraft carrying Malawi's Vice-President Saulos Chilima and nine others has gone missing, a statement from the president's office has said.

The Malawi Defense Force aircraft "went off the radar" after it left the capital, Lilongwe, on Monday morning, it added.

The president ordered a search and rescue operation after aviation officials were unable to contact the aircraft.

It was supposed to land at Mzuzu International Airport, in the country’s north, just after 10:00 local time (11:00 BST)

After being informed of the incident, Malawi's President Lazarus Chakwera cancelled his scheduled flight to the Bahamas.