Wicknell Chivayo: Events Reportedly Leading to Crash Emerge as Pilot of Second Helicopter Speaks

• Captain Ronny, who reportedly flew the second helicopter alongside Chivayo's aircraft, described the final moments before the fatal crash that killed five people
• An unexpected cloud formation separated the two helicopters mid-flight, prompting Captain Ronny to suggest an alternative route through Bromley
• The last words Captain Ronny heard from Captain Soda, the pilot of Chivayo's helicopter, came as the aircraft was still navigating dense cloud cover

Captain Ronny, the alleged pilot of the helicopter that accompanied Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo's aircraft on its final flight, has shared a detailed account of the moments that led to the crash, which claimed five lives, including Chivayo and his wife Lulu.

According to his account, the two helicopters departed together from Gandami village in Chivhu, heading towards Marondera.

Captain Ronny claimed he flew on the left side of the route while Chivayo's aircraft, piloted by Captain Soda, travelled on the right.

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The flight stated that he proceeded without incident until a cloud formation moved in from the east and enveloped Captain Ronny's helicopter.

Adding that he immediately radioed Captain Soda to flag the deteriorating weather, but according to him, Captain Soda responded that conditions on his side remained clear and that the horizon was still visible from his position.

Wicknell Chivayo's pilots' final radio exchange

Captain Ronny claimed he managed to bank his helicopter out of the cloud and proposed that both aircraft take an alternative path through Bromley, where the sky looked clearer.

He explained that they agreed to fly separately before meeting up at their destination.

As Captain Ronny neared Mahusekwa, he claimed to have checked in with Captain Soda, who confirmed that Chivayo's helicopter was still inside the cloud but was moving in his direction.

A short while later, flying over Bromley and roughly ten minutes from Marondera, Captain Ronny stated that he made one final attempt to confirm the other aircraft's position, but Captain Soda reportedly replied:

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"Stand by, I am still in the cloud."

Concerned that any further communication might distract his colleague as he navigated the difficult conditions, Captain Ronny recounted that he chose not to follow up, adding that those were the last words he heard from Captain Soda.

Search Efforts and the Devastating News

Upon landing in Marondera, Captain Ronny said his crew began calling every phone number connected to the passengers aboard Chivayo's helicopter.

However, none of the calls connected. According to the pilot, the team initially held out hope that the aircraft had put down somewhere without mobile signal coverage.

After some time, they decided to head back towards Harare and continue searching by road.

Captain Ronny stated that it was during that drive that the news reached them: Chivayo's helicopter had gone down.

Wicknell Chivayo, his wife Lulu, and three others perished in the crash.

The Instagram video of the second pilot is below.

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Wicknell's Harare mansion reportedly carries unpaid balance

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported on Wicknell Chivayo’s Harare mansion, which he had not fully paid for before his death in a helicopter crash.

The US$1.1 million balance was reportedly linked to an undocumented agreement to settle the debt through political services. Legal ownership had not been transferred, leaving the property’s status unresolved.

Source: YEN.com.gh