Malawi Vice President and 9 others die in plane crash

Malawi’s vice president and nine others have been killed after their military jet crashed into a mountainous forest, The Sun reports.

A huge search operation was launched after the plane carrying Dr Saulos Chilima, 51, failed to land at Mzuzu International Airport on Monday.

The jet left the southern African nation's capital, Lilongwe, at 9:17am local time and was due to arrive 45 minutes later, the report adds.

Air traffic control then lost contact with the jet and it vanished from radar a short time later.

The President's office confirmed all ten on board had been killed.

Malawi’s President Lazarus Chakwera has declared a national day of mourning.

Chakwera said former first lady Shanil Dzimbiri, the ex-wife of former President Bakili Muluzi, was also one of the passengers. The group was traveling to attend the funeral of a former government minister.

Chilima had been vice president since 2020.