PROMINENT businessman Wicknell Chivayo and his wife Lucy “Lulu” Muteke were among six people killed after a private helicopter crashed in Marondera Rural on Wednesday evening, leaving no survivors.
The helicopter went down at around 5pm near Waddilove Mission, about 70km east of Harare, with emergency services rushing to the scene as news of the tragedy filtered through.
Chivayo family spokesperson Herbert Chivayo confirmed the deaths of the businessman and his wife, saying the family had been left devastated by the tragedy.
Zimbabwe Republic Police national spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the crash and said six people were aboard the aircraft.
“The ZRP confirms a plane crash in Marondera Rural area at 1700 hours this evening. The aircraft had six occupants. More details will be released in due course as the scene is currently being attended,” Nyathi said in an initial statement.
Government spokesperson Nick Mangwana also confirmed there were no survivors and said police would formally release the identities of the victims.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police will confirm the names of the victims in due course. We extend our deepest condolences and prayers to the victims, their families, and their friends during this difficult time,” Mangwana said.
Police initially withheld the identities of the victims pending notification of their next of kin, but Chivayo’s family later confirmed that the businessman and Muteke had died in the crash.
The impact sparked a fire, complicating the identification process as investigators and emergency personnel worked at the crash site.
The tragedy sent shockwaves across the country on Wednesday night as confirmation of Chivayo’s death spread.
Chivayo, the founder of Intratrek Zimbabwe, was one of the country’s most prominent businessmen and had interests in energy and infrastructure projects.
He was also widely known for his highly publicised donations of vehicles, cash and other gifts to musicians, footballers, churches, politicians and other public figures.
His business interests included the long-running 100MW Gwanda solar project.
Chivayo had in recent years also become a highly visible figure on social media, where he frequently documented his business activities, donations and interactions with prominent personalities in Zimbabwe and the region.
He married Muteke in a high-profile ceremony last year.
The cause of the helicopter crash remained unknown by the time of publication.
Police and other relevant authorities are expected to conduct investigations to establish what caused the aircraft to go down.
Authorities were also expected to release further information on the identities of the other victims once formal identification and notification procedures had been completed.
