Wicknell Chivayo and Wife Reported Dead in Zimbabwe Helicopter Crash

Zimbabwean businessman and billionaire Wicknell Chivayo and his wife, Lucy “Lulu” Muteke, have been reported among the people killed in a helicopter crash in Marondera Rural, east of Harare.

The helicopter crashed at around 5 PM on Wednesday, September 30, with Zimbabwean authorities confirming that there were no survivors.

Zimbabwe Government spokesperson Nick Mangwana confirmed the crash in a statement issued on Wednesday evening, saying the aircraft was carrying a high-profile businessman, other passengers and two pilots.

“The Government wishes to confirm that a helicopter crash has occurred,” Mangwana said, adding that current information indicated there were no survivors. He said the Zimbabwe Republic Police would release the names of the victims after the identification process was completed.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police had earlier confirmed that an aircraft had crashed in the Marondera Rural area at approximately 5 PM and initially said that six people were aboard.

Reports from Zimbabwean media subsequently identified Chivayo and his wife, Lucy “Lulu” Muteke, among those killed. ZimLive reported that the couple was among six victims of the crash, while other Zimbabwean outlets also reported their deaths.

The identification of Chivayo and Muteke came before the Zimbabwean authorities had publicly released the complete list of victims. The government statement confirmed the deaths but did not name the businessman or the other people who were on board.

There was also a discrepancy in the number of people said to have been aboard the helicopter. The police initially reported six occupants, while the government’s description of one high-profile businessman, four passengers and two pilots would amount to seven people. Authorities had not explained the difference in their statements at the time of the reports.

Emergency personnel were dispatched to the crash site, with images from the scene showing the wreckage of the helicopter in a wooded area. Authorities are expected to investigate the cause of the crash.

Chivayo was one of Zimbabwe’s most publicly recognised businessmen and had built a high-profile public image around luxury cars, private aviation, philanthropy and major public events. His marriage to Muteke, which took place in 2025, had also attracted considerable attention in Zimbabwe.

Muteke was also known publicly as “Lulu” and was part of a prominent Zimbabwean family. The couple had recently been reported together at several public and social events.

For now, the Zimbabwean government’s confirmation establishes that the Marondera helicopter crash was fatal and that there were no survivors. The identification of Chivayo and Muteke has been reported by Zimbabwean media, while the formal release of the complete list of victims remains with the Zimbabwe Republic Police.

The cause of the crash and the circumstances surrounding the flight had not been established in the initial reports.