Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo and his wife, Lucy “Lulu” Muteke, have been confirmed dead after a helicopter they were travelling in crashed in Marondera, Zimbabwe.
The aircraft came down in the Marondera Rural area at around 5 pm on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, killing all six people on board.
Chivayo and Muteke were among the passengers in the helicopter, according to a family spokesperson who confirmed their deaths following the crash.
The incident brought an abrupt end to the life of one of Zimbabwe’s most visible businessmen, whose wealth, luxury lifestyle and high-profile friendships had made him a familiar name across the region.
Crash reported in Marondera
Zimbabwean authorities confirmed the helicopter crash shortly after it occurred.
Police said six people were aboard the aircraft and that emergency teams had been sent to the scene.
Government spokesperson Nick Mangwana later confirmed that there were no survivors.
Police initially withheld the identities of those killed as authorities worked to formally identify the victims. Reports from the scene said the bodies were badly burned, making the identification process more difficult.
The cause of the crash had not been established by the time of the confirmation of Chivayo’s death.