Wicknell Chivayo: More Details Emerge About Fatal Crash That Left Millionaire and 5 Others Dead
- Zimbabwean millionaire Wicknell Chivayo and his wife Lucy Muteke were among six people killed when their helicopter went down near Marondera
- ZBC News provided more details about the fatal crash at the site on Kudenga Farm, where wreckage and bodies remained hours after the accident
- Social media users weighed in on the latest information surfacing about the accident, with many questioning some of the details that came to light
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Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.
ZIMBABWE — More details have emerged about the helicopter crash that claimed the lives of Wicknell Chivayo, his wife Lucy Muteke, and four other passengers.
The prominent Zimbabwean businessman and five others were killed on Wednesday, 30 September 2026, when their helicopter crashed on Kudenga Farm in Marondera. Family spokesperson Herbert Chivayo confirmed Wicknell's death alongside that of his wife, Lucy Muteke, saying the family was at a loss for words.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police confirmed the incident, placing the time of the crash at approximately 5 pm. ZBC News, broadcasting live from the scene in the early hours of the morning, provided more details about the crash.
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The helicopter was returning from Chikomba
According to information, the helicopter had departed from Gandami, Chikomba, where the couple had been overseeing construction of a rural mansion. They left at around 4:20 pm, and roughly 40 minutes later, the aircraft went down.
At the time of the report, the bodies of all six deceased remained at the scene, with funeral service providers already present but no indication of when remains would be transported to a mortuary. The cause of the crash had not been determined at the time of reporting.
ZBC News has since provided more footage of the site.
Social media scepticism grows
The news spread rapidly online, drawing both mourning and suspicion from Zimbabwean social media users.
@GavinMazarura wrote:
"This is sad, man. Wicknell was such a lovely guy."
Others were less convinced by the official account.
@seduction_soul raised concerns about the speed of confirmation, writing:
"Something feels off about how this was handled, especially considering how secretive Zimbabwean state media can sometimes be. Within an hour, both Nick and ZBC had already confirmed the news of his death."
@SamaitaTemboZim added:
"Up until now, no one has shown any genuine footage of the wreckage. Something fishy here."
@lufty_rm observed:
"The helicopter doesn't look that damaged tbh."
@murwirawalter1 questioned the handling of the scene, writing:
"So the bodies have been lying there for about eight hours? What is causing this delay?"
@ariannah_asin01 went further, stating:
"Chivayo is not dead. He's simply vanished. Something is off."
Chivayo's children were not on board the helicopter
Briefly News also reported that Chivayo's two children from his previous marriage were confirmed safe and were not aboard the doomed aircraft.
The Zimbabwean millionaire and his new wife Lucy died in the helicopter crash near Marondera on Wednesday, 30 September 2026.
The crash, which occurred at around 5 PM, also claimed the lives of two crew members and two other individuals.
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Source: Briefly News
