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Masvingo plane crash: Fresh details emerge

by Staff reporter
25 Nov 2018 at 09:02hrs | Views
The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has verified that 5 and not 3 people perished in the plane crush at Chemanjenjera Hills that occurred yesterday morning.

Names of the deceased have also been revealed.

Mystery surrounds the circumstances leading to a plane crash that claimed 5 lives in Chemanjenjera Hills in Village 5 Matedzi, Masvingo South under Chief Nyajena.

It has, however, since been established that that the plane had 5 occupants all of whom died.

The pilot has been identified as Barry Style, a Zimbabwean national of Buffalo Range, Chiredzi aged 48.

ZRP Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi also revealed the names of the deceased Finish nationals.

The names are Partanen Kari Leo Tapana aged 53, Ojanpaajari-Pekka 52, Vappula Heikki Antero 51 and Harri Hynninen aged 50.

Assistant Commissioner Nyathi said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is now working with the families of the deceased in arranging repatriation of the bodies.

The police confirmed that the four, were travelling from Chiredzi to Victoria Falls, before their departure for Finland.

The crash has generated a lot of interest not only from the villagers under Chief Nyajena's area but the general populace.

Plane crashes are a rare phenomenon in Zimbabwe let alone in these parts of the country. Before yesterday's crash, the most recent had occurred in March last year near the Zimbabwean-Mozambique border where six business executives from Mozambique died when their plane crashed somewhere along Vumba mountains.

To the villagers in Matedzi, the site of flying debris was a rare sight.

The plane a Cessna 206 produced by the Cessna Aircraft Company is a light aircraft commonly referred to as the sport utility vehicle of the air.

According to the fly mag.com this type of plane has a powerful engine, rugged construction and large cabin, making it a popular bush plane.

Mr Tawanda Gusha, the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe Director Airports, said inspectors are still at the crash site carrying out possible investigations as to what could have led to the fatal crash.

The bodies of the deceased where taken to Masvingo General Hospital for post mortem.



Source - zbc