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Former Zimbabwean CIO boss recounts near-fatal helicopter crash
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Former Zimbabwean Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) Director-General Happyton Bonyongwe has revealed that he narrowly escaped death in a helicopter crash in Manicaland province in May 2007. Bonyongwe was traveling with the then-head of the Portuguese External Intelligence Service (SIED), João do Carmo Ataíde da Câmara, on a diplomatic visit when the incident occurred.
The Portuguese intelligence chief had been sent to Zimbabwe on a mission to lobby for Portugal's hosting of the European Union-African Union Summit, which took place from December 8-9, 2007, in Lisbon. As part of the visit, Bonyongwe took Camara on a tour of Great Zimbabwe and Mutare, providing an aerial view of the Mozambique border from a military helicopter.
The delegation traveled on the late President Robert Mugabe's Cougar Presidential helicopter, flying from Harare to Masvingo and then Mutare before planning to return to the capital. However, heavy rainfall in Mutare caused a delay in their departure.
As they approached Harare, approximately 50 kilometers from the airport, the pilot spotted an approaching storm and opted to land in an open field to wait for the weather to clear. What followed was a harrowing crash.
In his book, One Among Many – My Contribution to the Zimbabwean Story, Bonyongwe recounts the terrifying moments:
"I was sitting by the window, as was the Portuguese Director-General. The pilot switched on his floodlights to check the surroundings. We were about 50 meters above the ground when he tried to maneuver the helicopter away from some trees but lost control. The helicopter fell from the sky like a stone."
He describes how the aircraft crashed onto its side, preventing the fuel from flowing fully into the engine, which could have caused an explosion. Fortunately, all passengers had their seat belts on, preventing serious injuries.
After the impact, panic set in among the crew. Bonyongwe recalls how the pilots fled the aircraft, leaving the passengers behind. He then took the initiative to help evacuate everyone, including Camara and a Portuguese officer on crutches.
"I head-butted the emergency exit window with sufficient force to break it," he recounted. "I got the Director-General of Portugal out first, followed by the other officers. The last person before me was the Portuguese officer on crutches."
Once outside, they made their way on foot to the highway, where Bonyongwe contacted his driver and wife for assistance. His wife drove him and Camara to a trauma center in Harare for medical evaluation. Apart from minor bruises, the passengers were largely unharmed, though the Portuguese officer on crutches sustained the worst injuries and was treated before being discharged the same night.
The crash had diplomatic repercussions. Camara returned to Portugal the next day, but the two intelligence chiefs remained in close contact. Bonyongwe later attended Camara's presentation of credentials as the Portuguese Ambassador to Zimbabwe, an event that Mugabe himself acknowledged as a testament to their shared survival.
The European Union-Africa Summit, which followed months later, saw intense political debates. Bonyongwe notes that Mugabe delivered a strong speech against Western sanctions and colonial injustices. However, he was met with a swift rebuttal from then-European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, emphasizing Zimbabwe's economic and human rights failures.
The summit highlighted the EU's diplomatic power over Zimbabwe, with UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown boycotting the event while Baroness Valerie Amos closed the summit with a critical address on Zimbabwe's governance.
Bonyongwe also disclosed that the CIA was aware of the crash, as Camara later informed him. Their bond strengthened over the years, with Camara returning to Zimbabwe as an ambassador before being reassigned to Angola and later Canada.
Reflecting on the incident, Bonyongwe acknowledged how the traumatic experience forged a deep connection between the two men. "Mugabe was right when he said that the bond should survive against all odds. We survived together, and that created an unbreakable link."
The crash remains a chilling reminder of the risks taken by high-ranking officials in their line of duty and the complex diplomatic engagements Zimbabwe undertook during a tumultuous political era.
The Portuguese intelligence chief had been sent to Zimbabwe on a mission to lobby for Portugal's hosting of the European Union-African Union Summit, which took place from December 8-9, 2007, in Lisbon. As part of the visit, Bonyongwe took Camara on a tour of Great Zimbabwe and Mutare, providing an aerial view of the Mozambique border from a military helicopter.
The delegation traveled on the late President Robert Mugabe's Cougar Presidential helicopter, flying from Harare to Masvingo and then Mutare before planning to return to the capital. However, heavy rainfall in Mutare caused a delay in their departure.
As they approached Harare, approximately 50 kilometers from the airport, the pilot spotted an approaching storm and opted to land in an open field to wait for the weather to clear. What followed was a harrowing crash.
In his book, One Among Many – My Contribution to the Zimbabwean Story, Bonyongwe recounts the terrifying moments:
"I was sitting by the window, as was the Portuguese Director-General. The pilot switched on his floodlights to check the surroundings. We were about 50 meters above the ground when he tried to maneuver the helicopter away from some trees but lost control. The helicopter fell from the sky like a stone."
He describes how the aircraft crashed onto its side, preventing the fuel from flowing fully into the engine, which could have caused an explosion. Fortunately, all passengers had their seat belts on, preventing serious injuries.
After the impact, panic set in among the crew. Bonyongwe recalls how the pilots fled the aircraft, leaving the passengers behind. He then took the initiative to help evacuate everyone, including Camara and a Portuguese officer on crutches.
Once outside, they made their way on foot to the highway, where Bonyongwe contacted his driver and wife for assistance. His wife drove him and Camara to a trauma center in Harare for medical evaluation. Apart from minor bruises, the passengers were largely unharmed, though the Portuguese officer on crutches sustained the worst injuries and was treated before being discharged the same night.
The crash had diplomatic repercussions. Camara returned to Portugal the next day, but the two intelligence chiefs remained in close contact. Bonyongwe later attended Camara's presentation of credentials as the Portuguese Ambassador to Zimbabwe, an event that Mugabe himself acknowledged as a testament to their shared survival.
The European Union-Africa Summit, which followed months later, saw intense political debates. Bonyongwe notes that Mugabe delivered a strong speech against Western sanctions and colonial injustices. However, he was met with a swift rebuttal from then-European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, emphasizing Zimbabwe's economic and human rights failures.
The summit highlighted the EU's diplomatic power over Zimbabwe, with UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown boycotting the event while Baroness Valerie Amos closed the summit with a critical address on Zimbabwe's governance.
Bonyongwe also disclosed that the CIA was aware of the crash, as Camara later informed him. Their bond strengthened over the years, with Camara returning to Zimbabwe as an ambassador before being reassigned to Angola and later Canada.
Reflecting on the incident, Bonyongwe acknowledged how the traumatic experience forged a deep connection between the two men. "Mugabe was right when he said that the bond should survive against all odds. We survived together, and that created an unbreakable link."
The crash remains a chilling reminder of the risks taken by high-ranking officials in their line of duty and the complex diplomatic engagements Zimbabwe undertook during a tumultuous political era.
Source - online
