THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK
New Delhi, Oct 3: Indian billionaire Harpal Randhawa and his son, along with four others, have been killed after their private plane crashed in southwestern Zimbabwe, writes The Indian Express quoting a PTI report.
The plane, carrying the six including Randhawa — the owner of RioZim, a mining company producing gold and coal as well as refining nickel and copper — and his son, developed a technical fault, possibly leading to a mid-air explosion, before plunging into Peter Farm in the Zvamahande region, a Zimbabwe media website iHarare reported.
All passengers and crew onboard were reported dead in the accident last week.
The single-engined Cessna 206 aircraft, owned by RioZim, was en route from Harare to the Murowa diamond mine when the accident took place on Friday. The plane crashed near the Murowa Diamonds mine, which is also partly owned by RioZim.
According to The Herald, a state-owned daily, the police said the victims included two Zimbabweans and four foreigners. “The Zimbabwe Republic Police reports a plane crash which occurred on September 29 between 7.30 am and 8 am, where six people are confirmed dead,” police said. “The Murowa Diamond Company (RioZim)-owned white and red Zcam aircraft had left Harare for the mine at 6 am and crashed about 6 km from Mashava.”
RioZim also confirmed the crash and said it was working with the concerned authorities to gather more details on the mishap.
Even as the police are yet to release the names of the deceased, journalist and filmmaker Hopewell Chinono — a friend of Randhawa — confirmed his death. “I am deeply saddened by the passing of Harpal Randhawa, the owner of RioZim who died today in a plane crash in Zvishavane. Five other people including his son, who was also a pilot but a passenger on this flight, also died in the crash,” Chinono wrote on X. “My thoughts are with his wife, family, friends and the RioZim community.”
The RioZim company secretary stated a full statement will be issued soon. “I am not in a position to address the media right now. We will however be issuing a statement as soon as possible,” he said.
Randhawa was the founder of GEM Holdings — the $ 4 billion private equity firm.
