Six Killed in Helicopter Crash Near Zimbabwe’s Marondera

Six people were killed when a helicopter crashed in Zimbabwe’s Marondera area east of Harare on Wednesday, police said.

The aircraft went down at about 3 p.m. local time in an area approximately 72 kilometres from Harare. It burst into flames, and there were no survivors.

Among those killed were businessman Wicknell Chivayo and his wife, Lucy Muteke. Chivayo’s family confirmed his death, while authorities said they would establish the identities of all six victims. The other four people killed have not been publicly identified in the verified information available.

Investigation under way

The cause of the crash has not been established. Investigations are under way as authorities work to determine what happened and confirm the identities of all the victims.

Chivayo’s business profile

Chivayo, who was 43, was described as a high-profile Zimbabwean businessman known for his lavish lifestyle and close ties to the ruling ZANU-PF party.

His company had secured major government energy contracts, including a deal worth more than $170 million to build a solar plant in Gwanda.