South African TV Chef Mynie Steffens Dies in Helicopter Crash

Mynie Steffens, a 43-year-old South African television chef, pilot and cookbook author, died in a helicopter crash on a citrus farm near Patensie in the Eastern Cape province on Monday morning, November 10.

The incident occurred around 7:45 a.m. when the Robinson helicopter Steffens was piloting struck power lines during a pesticide-spraying operation over orange crops on Roodegrond Farm. Authorities reported that the aircraft crashed shortly afterward, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage upon impact. Images from the scene showed the wreckage scattered in a grassy area, with large sections of the helicopter torn away.

The Accidents and Incidents Investigations Division confirmed in a statement that the pilot was conducting a pest control flight at the time. "Information that is at our disposal indicates that the pilot was conducting a pest control operation flight when the helicopter struck power lines and crashed," the division said. The South African Police Service has opened an inquest, and the Civil Aviation Authority's accident unit is leading an investigation to determine the exact cause. No further details were available as inquiries continue.