ZIMBABWEAN billionaire and businessman Wicknell Chivayo and his wife, Lucy Muteke, have died after the private helicopter they were travelling in crashed in Marondera, Mashonaland East Province, on Wednesday.
The crash occurred at about 5 pm in the Marondera Rural area, east of the capital, Harare, with six people aboard the aircraft. Zimbabwean authorities said there were no survivors.
Family spokesman Herbert Chivayo confirmed the deaths of the businessman and his wife, saying the couple was travelling with four other people when the helicopter went down.
“We are at a loss for words after the tragic news,” he told the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC).
Government spokesperson Nick Mangwana had earlier confirmed the crash, saying the aircraft was carrying a high-profile businessman, other passengers and two pilots.
“Current information indicates that there were no survivors in this crash,” Mangwana said in a statement posted on X.
Zimbabwe Republic Police spokesman Paul Nyathi also confirmed that six people were aboard the helicopter when it crashed in the Marondera area.
The identities of all the victims were not immediately released by the police as authorities worked at the crash site.
Chivayo was a prominent Zimbabwean businessman who was widely known for his lavish lifestyle and high-profile public presence.
The businessman was also known for his close relationship with President Emmerson Mnangagwa and links to the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF).
The crash has drawn widespread attention in Zimbabwe, with authorities expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding the accident.
