Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo is reportedly among the people believed to have died after a helicopter crashed near Marondera on Wednesday evening, September 30, 2026.
The aircraft went down in the Marondera Rural area at around 5pm, prompting a major emergency response. The Zimbabwe Republic Police initially confirmed that an aircraft carrying six occupants had crashed, but did not immediately identify those on board.
Early reports linked the helicopter to Chivayo, although police had initially not confirmed whether he was among the occupants.
However, subsequent reports citing the Zimbabwean government said the crash was fatal and that there were no survivors. Government spokesperson Nick Mangwana said the helicopter was carrying a high-profile businessman, other passengers and two pilots.
Zimbabwe’s state-owned Herald later reported that a prominent businessman was among those who died in the crash, although official identification of the victims was still being handled by authorities.
The crash has sparked widespread reaction in Zimbabwe, with emergency teams and authorities rushing to the scene as investigations into what caused the accident get underway.
At the time of the initial police statement, authorities had not officially named Chivayo among the victims, making the identity of those on board an important point awaiting formal confirmation.
