Personal belongings believed to have been recovered from the site of the helicopter crash that claimed the lives of Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo, his wife Lucy Muteke and four other people have emerged.
Photographs from the crash scene show several items that were reportedly recovered after the helicopter went down at Kudenga Farm in Marondera Rural. Among the belongings were a burgundy-coloured iPhone 18, a cream-coloured bag believed to belong to a woman, and two pairs of shoes.
The iPhone appeared to have suffered extensive damage from the fire that followed the crash. Both the phone and its protective cover were visibly burnt. The device was photographed among other belongings recovered from the site, highlighting the intensity of the fire that broke out after the helicopter struck the ground.
A cream-coloured bag was also seen among the recovered items. Based on its appearance, the bag was believed to be a woman’s, although it had not been established who it belonged to.
Two pairs of shoes were also photographed at the scene. One appeared to be a black sports shoe, while the other was a maroon-coloured leather shoe. Parts of the maroon shoe appeared to have been burnt and damaged.
The belongings were found as authorities, emergency personnel and relatives continued the difficult recovery operation at the crash site.
### How the helicopter crash happened
Chivayo and Muteke died on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, when the helicopter they were travelling in crashed at Kudenga Farm in Marondera Rural, approximately 70 kilometres east of Harare.
The couple had reportedly been travelling from Gandami in Chikomba, where Chivayo had been building a rural home. The helicopter crashed about 40 minutes after take-off.
Zimbabwe Republic Police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed that six people were aboard the aircraft, including two pilots. There were no survivors.
The official cause of the crash had not yet been established, and Zimbabwean authorities launched investigations to determine what happened during the aircraft’s final moments.
Chivayo’s senior security aide, Froster Chisi, who was travelling in another helicopter, said the aircraft carrying the businessman and his wife had encountered bad weather during the journey. However, authorities had not officially established weather conditions as the cause of the crash.
The accident also resulted in a challenging recovery operation. Emergency personnel, government officials and relatives travelled to the crash site as efforts continued to recover and identify the victims.
Family spokesperson Herbert Chivayo said the condition of the bodies following the impact had made formal identification difficult. The family was awaiting forensic experts to assist with the recovery and identification process.
By Thursday, October 1, the remains had reportedly been moved from the crash site to Marondera Hospital. Death certification and other required documentation were expected to be completed before the remains were transferred to Harare.
The discovery of the damaged personal belongings has provided a further glimpse into the aftermath of the fatal crash, while investigations into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy continue.
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