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Zimbabwe helicopter crash kills six, government spokesperson says

By Thomson Reuters Sep 30, 2026 | 1:09 PM

HARARE, Sept 30 (Reuters) – A helicopter carrying six people crashed in Zimbabwe’s Marondera rural area, ​east of Harare, on ‌Wednesday, killing all on board, government spokesperson Nick Mangwana said on X.

Mangwana said the helicopter was carrying a ‌high-profile ​businessman, three passengers ⁠and two pilots. ⁠He had earlier said it was carrying four passengers but later edited his post on ​X.

He said the police would confirm the identities of the ⁠victims in due ⁠course. Local online media ​service ZimLive reported that businessman Wicknell ​Chivayo was among those on ‌board.

Police had earlier said an aircraft carrying six people crashed in the area at around ⁠1700 local time (1500 GMT) and that emergency services were attending the scene.

Police spokesperson ⁠Paul ‌Nyathi said that the ⁠bodies were badly burned ​and ‌authorities needed to formally ​identify the ⁠victims.

(Reporting by Chris Takudzwa Muronzi in Harare and Sfundo Parakozov in Johannesburg; Writing by Nilutpal Timsina; Editing by Mark Porter and ​Nick Zieminski)