Helicopter with 6 aboard crashes in Zimbabwe with no survivors, officials say

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — A helicopter with six people on board crashed in a rural part of Zimbabwe on Wednesday and it appears there were no survivors, officials said.

Among the victims was a prominent businessman and his wife, state media reported. The businessman, Wicknell Chivayo, was a close ally of Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

The helicopter crashed in the Marondera district, southeast of the capital, Harare, police said.

Government spokesperson Nick Mangwana posted on X that four passengers, including a high-profile businessman, were on board along with two crew members. “Current information indicates that there were no survivors in this crash,” Mangwana posted.

Mangwana and police did not immediately identify those on board, and police said they would provide more details later.

Police spokesperson Paul Nyathi said in a statement that efforts were underway to identify people on board.

“They were burned, there was a fire and we will be trying to identify the people,” he said. “As we speak, responders are at the site and we will then be able to give more updates.”

State broadcaster ZBC News, quoting a family spokesperson, reported that among the dead were Chivayo and his wife Lucy Muteke. The 43-year-old was a prominent Zimbabwean businessman known for his close ties to Mnangagwa and the ruling political establishment.

He frequently broadcast on social media about private dinners and close-up meetings with regional heads of state, including South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa, Kenya’s William Ruto, Tanzania’s Samia Suluhu Hassan and Eswatini’s King Mswati III. He was known for lavish gifts of vehicles and cash to celebrities, church leaders, politicians and followers, even random social media followers who praised his posts or Mnangagwa.

His business dealings and political connections had also drawn scrutiny and allegations over public procurement and election financing in Zimbabwe and neighboring countries, allegations he denied.

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AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa

Farai Mutsaka, The Associated Press