Wicknell Chivayo and four others die in Zimbabwe crash

Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo, his wife and three other people died when a helicopter crashed near Marondera, east of Harare, on September 30, authorities and family representatives said. The Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe reported that fuel spilled and ignited after impact, but investigators have not determined what caused the crash. Authorities initially reported that six people were aboard. They later revised the number to five, according to reports of the updated official count. Minister Tino Machakaire named the dead as Chivayo, his wife Lucy, Senelisiwe Magagula, and pilots Kelvin T. Soda and Courage Mutavirwa. The identities were relayed through officials and family representatives. The helicopter went down in the Marondera rural area. Reports said it had departed from Gandami in Chikomba district for Harare and crashed about 40 minutes after takeoff. The aircraft was identified in reports as a Bell 430. Officials have not publicly established why it crashed. The Civil Aviation Authority’s preliminary observations indicated that the helicopter hit the ground, spilling fuel that caught fire.