Sir Wicknell Chivayo’s body was the most severely burnt; Aide reveals

The remains of controversial businessman Wicknell Chivayo and the other victims of Wednesday’s fatal helicopter crash in Marondera were so badly affected by the impact and subsequent fire that forensic experts have been called in to establish which body parts belong to each victim.

Chivayo’s uncle and family spokesperson, Herbert Chivayo, said the condition of the remains had made visual identification difficult, with forensic specialists expected to use DNA testing to match recovered pieces of human tissue and remains to the victims.

“We are waiting for the post-mortem from forensics because we need to identify the pieces of flesh so that they can be arranged by their owners,” Herbert said.

The five officially identified victims are Wicknell Chivayo, his wife Lucy Rujeko Muteke, Senelisiwe Magagula, and pilots Captain Kelvin Tafirei Soda and Captain Courage Mutavirwa. Zimbabwean authorities initially gave conflicting accounts about the number of people aboard the helicopter, but police later confirmed five occupants.

The Bell 430 crashed at Kudenga Farm in the Marondera area on Wednesday evening while travelling from Chikomba towards Harare.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe said preliminary observations indicated that the aircraft struck the ground, causing fuel to spill and ignite. The cause of the crash remains under investigation, and an intact flight recorder has reportedly been recovered.

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The severity of the crash has complicated the recovery and identification process.

ZBC reported that forensic examinations and DNA testing were under way, with family representatives expected to assist authorities in identifying the remains.

Herbert said the family would only finalise burial arrangements after the forensic process had been completed.

He said some of Chivayo’s sisters, who are based outside Zimbabwe, were travelling home and the family wanted them to participate in decisions about the burial of their brother.

“We want to make sure that at least when half of them arrive, then we will proceed. We cannot, and we must not, proceed without them because he was the only boy in the family,” Herbert said.

The family has yet to decide whether Chivayo will be buried at the family’s rural home in Gandami, Chikomba, or at Glen Forest in Harare.

Meanwhile, mourners have been gathering at Chivayo’s mother’s home at 14 Stanchart, where the family says condolences will be received.

Herbert said members of the Johane Masowe Apostolic Church, to which Chivayo belonged, were also gathering to pay their respects.

“We’re going to give them the opportunity to send their colleague off,” he said.

The forensic identification process is expected to determine how the recovered remains are separated and formally attributed to each victim before the families can proceed with the burials.

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