By Kudzai Jakachira
Investigators are examining the wreckage of the helicopter that crashed at Kudenga Farm in Marondera on Wednesday evening, killing businessman Wicknell Chivayo, his wife Lucy Muteke and four other people.
Preliminary crash site investigations are indicating that severe atmospheric conditions triggered a rapid loss of altitude and an immediate post-impact inferno, leaving zero chance of survival.
The crash occurred at about 5pm near Waddilove Mission, shortly after the helicopter had reportedly departed Gandami in Chikomba, where Chivayo and his wife had been earlier in the day. Authorities have confirmed that there were no survivors.
Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe director-general George Mashababe, who visited the scene on Thursday, said preliminary observations indicated that the helicopter’s body struck the ground, causing fuel to spill and ignite.
“The helicopter has a tail with blades, and when the body of the helicopter hit the ground, it appears there was impact and a spillage of fuel, which resulted in a fire,” Mashababe said.
The crash left the aircraft extensively damaged, with pieces of the wreckage scattered around the site. Forensic experts and investigators were deployed on Thursday to examine the scene and establish the circumstances leading to the disaster.
Video footage circulating online also shows the extent of the destruction at the crash site, with investigators and emergency personnel working among the charred remains of the helicopter.
Personal belongings believed to have belonged to some of the victims have also been recovered from the wreckage. Among them were shoes said to have belonged to Chivayo.
The discovery of personal effects has provided a grim indication of the intensity of the post-crash fire, while authorities continue the process of recovering and formally identifying some of the victims.
The bodies of Chivayo, Muteke and the other victims were removed from the crash site on Thursday after spending the night at the farm.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation, with aviation investigators expected to examine the helicopter’s mechanical condition, flight path, weather conditions, pilot actions and other factors before making a determination.
