Helicopter crash in Zimbabwe... Six people, including businessman Wicknell Cibayo, died.

A helicopter crashed in Zimbabwe, southern Africa, killing six people, including a Zimbabwean businessman and his wife.

According to AP, AFP, and the British BBC on the 1st (local time), a helicopter crashed in the Marondera area, about 70 km east of Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, around 5 p.m. the previous day, killing all six people on board, including Wicknell Chibayo (43), head of IntraTrek Zimbabwe, his wife, and the pilot.

Local media reported that the Chibayo couple was traveling from Chikongba, where they were building a house, and that the helicopter crashed about 40 minutes after takeoff.

The cause of the accident has not yet been confirmed, and Zimbabwean civil aviation authorities are investigating the circumstances of the accident based on the black box recovered from the scene.

Chibayo was convicted of fraud in 2004 and served several years in prison, and later expanded his business primarily through government contracts, the BBC reported.

IntraTrek Zimbabwe received an order for a 100MW solar power plant construction project worth $170 million (approximately 230 billion won) from Zimbabwe's state-run power company in 2015.

However, CEO Chibayo was investigated on suspicion of improperly using the advance payment paid in connection with this project, and was also investigated by the Anti-Corruption Commission in relation to the issue of procurement of goods used in the 2023 Zimbabwean general election. However, the investigation was closed two years later, saying no evidence of illegal activity was found.

AFP reported that CEO Chibayo was also famous for giving expensive gifts, such as cars and cash, to politicians, celebrities, church leaders, and followers, and revealing them on social media.

It is also known that he is close to several African leaders, including Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

President Mnangagwa told

Kenyan President William Ruto also posted on X: "I deeply mourn the tragic passing of my friend Chibayo."