Gwanda helicopter crash victim identified

PROMINENT Beitbridge businessman, Christian Ndou Malila was yesterday killed, his body parts scattered all over, after his private helicopter crashed in a mountainous area in Maphani about 6km out of Gwanda Town.

The US-built Robinson R44 helicopter crashed and burst into flames between 7am and 7.30am in the bushy area near a stamp mill in Maphani.

The South Africa-based tycoon, 55, was flying his four-seater aircraft alone from Bulawayo on his way to Beitbridge when it developed a mechanical fault and nose dived. Poor visibility may also have caused the tragedy.

Relatives identified Malila of Tshamnanga Village under Chief Sitaudze in Beitbridge District. He took off from Bulawayo at around 7.45am on Saturday and landed at a farm in Esigodini at around 9.26am before proceeding to Gwanda yesterday morning.

While the helicopter was not completely burnt, fragments of its wreckage were strewn all over the area while some of Malila's clothes were seen hanging on the trees.

When Chronicle visited the scene yesterday morning police had already collected Malila's remains, which were about 30 metres from the crash scene.

Maphani residents who witnessed the incident told Chronicle that before the crash, the helicopter was spotted hovering above tree tops and believed that it could have been caused by a mechanical problem.

Tinashe Zhou said they suspected that Malila threw his luggage out first before jumping off to his death.

"We suspect that he started throwing out his bags and other belongings before jumping out of the helicopter because we picked up his passport and bank cards in the bush," said Zhou.

Others said they believed the engine could have developed a fault as its sound was unusual.

"That attracted our attention and we kept staring in the sky. At some point we could hardly see it due to limited visibility since it was misty," said another resident.

The residents said the helicopter suddenly shot up and produced a loud sound before being engulfed in smoke.

"That is when we realised that the helicopter had crashed and we rushed to the scene," said another resident. The residents said they quickly reported the incident to the police who attended the scene. They however, said it took the police officers a while to locate some of his missing body parts.

"The police had to move around collecting his body parts. It was such a horrifying scene and I have never seen anything like that. We have seen such incidents happening in other countries on television not here," said another resident, Sarah Zuze.

By yesterday afternoon, Gwanda residents were still trooping to the scene while police remained on guard awaiting arrival of the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe officials.

Gwanda North MP Cde Madodana Sibanda also visited the crash site and expressed shock over the incident.

"Lathi sinje sithithibele. Okwenzakeleyo kubuhlungu kakhulu (we are shocked, what happened is very painful). We thank God that no one on the ground was injured. Our condolences go out to his family," he said.

It was a touching moment when some of the relatives arrived at the scene and broke down. They could not speak to the press.

Matabeleland South police acknowledged the incident but could not comment and referred questions to police headquarters in Harare. National police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba could not be drawn to comment when contacted on her mobile late yesterday.