Malawi's re-instated Vice President, Saulos Chilima, speaks at a press conference at his private residence in Lilongwe on February 5, 2020 following the Lilongwe Constitutional Court's decision on February 3, 2020, to nullify presidential results of the May 21, 2019, Tripartite Elections. (Photo by AMOS GUMULIRA / AFP) (Photo by AMOS GUMULIRA/AFP via Getty Images)

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.