The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development in Zimbabwe is currently investigating a <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/2023/09/29/rio-zim-plane-crashed-on-friday-in-mashava-masvingo-killing-six-people/">plane crash</a> that took place in the Zvamahande area of <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Mashava/">Mashava</a>, <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Masvingo_Province/">Masvingo</a>. The crash involved a plane owned by Murowa Diamonds (Rio Zim) and resulted in the tragic deaths of six individuals, including two Zimbabweans and four foreign nationals. In a statement seen by Pindula News, the Ministry said its Air Accidents and Serious Incidents Investigation Department is conducting a thorough investigation to determine the cause and contributing factors of the accident. The goal is to draw conclusions from the investigation and propose safety recommendations to prevent similar accidents in the future. Read the statement:
<blockquote>
<h3>FATAL ACCIDENT OF A CESSNA C206 AIRCRAFT 6 KM TO THE NORTHWEST OF MASHAVA</h3>
On 29 September 2023, the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport (RGMIA) Flight Information Centre (FIC) advised that they lost contact with a Zimbabwean-registered Cessna C206 aircraft registration No. Z-CAM. The aircraft got airborne from RGMIA at 06:30 a.m. Zimbabwe time, flying to Murowa (near Zvishavane) with 6 people on board. Last contact with the aircraft was at 07:03 am Zimbabwe time. The FIC had checked with destination and were told that the aircraft had not arrived. The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) confirms the aircraft accident, and 6 fatalities of the occupants on board the aircraft about 6 km to the North West of Masluwa.
The names of the deceased pilot and the other five occupants of the aircraft have been withheld until the next akin had been notified about the accident.
The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development – Air Accidents and Serious Incidents Investigation Department is carrying out investigations to establish the cause(s) and contributing factors regarding the accident in order to draw investigation conclusions and propose appropriate Safety Recommendations for prevention of future accidents from similar causes.
The Minister of Transport and Infrasumetural Development. Hon. F.T. Mhona, sends heat nett condolences to the families and friends of passengers and the pilot who lost their lives in the aircraft crash.
</blockquote>
<h3><a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h3>

Pindula News

Zimbabwe's Transport Ministry Investigating Rio Zim Plane Crash

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has provided additional information regarding the Rio Zim <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/2023/09/29/rio-zim-plane-crashed-on-friday-in-mashava-masvingo-killing-six-people/">plane crash</a> in Zvemahande, Mashava, Masvingo province. According to police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Paul_Nyathi/">Paul Nyathi</a>, the crash resulted in the death of six individuals. In a statement seen by Pindula News, Nyathi said police will release further details as they become available. Read the statement:
<blockquote>
<h3>PLANE CRASH IN ZVEMAHANDE AREA, MASHAVA</h3>
The Zimbabwe Republic Police reports a plane crush which occurred on the 29th September 2023 between 0730 hours and 0800 hours where six people are confirmed dead. The Murowa Diamond Company (RioZim) owned white and red Zcam aircraft had left Harare for the mine at 0600 hours and crushed about six kilometres from Mashava. The victims are two Zimbabweans and four foreign nationals.
More information will be released in due course.
</blockquote>
Preliminary results from the investigation suggest that the plane had a mechanical fault.

<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/2023/02/17/murowa-diamonds-fired-pilots-before-beatrice-plane-crash-report-20230217182043189324/">Murowa Diamonds Fired Pilots Before Beatrice Plane Crash | Report</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/2023/02/14/two-people-survive-plane-crash-in-chivhu/">Murowa Diamonds/io Zim Plane Crash: Five People Survive Plane Crash In Beatrice</a></li>
</ul>
A Pindula News correspondent visited the crash site and described it as a gruesome scene with scattered body parts and debris. The correspondent said due to the extensive damage, it was difficult to determine the exact number of passengers onboard.
Locals reported hearing a loud sound and witnessing the plane circling before it tragically fell from the sky. The aftermath was disturbing, with body parts hanging from branches and chunks of flesh on the ground. Based on the discovery of seven pairs of shoes, it was estimated that seven individuals had died in the crash.
A CID officer at the scene said the area’s network would remain down until Civil Aviation authorities arrived. The weather conditions at the crash site were unclear, but it was misty and foggy in the Masvingo area.
The Rio Zim plane was en route from Harare to Murowa Diamonds when the incident happened, potentially due to a mechanical fault. Rio Zim is a prominent mining company in Zimbabwe involved in extracting gold, diamonds, and chrome.
<h3><a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h3>

More Details Emerge On Rio Zim Plane Crash

RioZim Limited, the company that controls 100% shareholding in Murowa Diamonds, reportedly fired pilots in December last year and hired outsiders to fly gems before a plane carrying diamonds crashed near Beatrice this week.
The <a href="https://newsday.co.zw/theindependent/local-news/article/200007566/pilot-exodus-hits-murowa-diamonds-hired-pilot-on-controls-when-one-of-its-aircraft-crash-landed">Zimbabwe Independent</a> reported a source as saying that RZM Aviation, the firm that manages RioZim’s aviation operations, dismissed its entire group of pilots. Said the source:
<blockquote>
There is a mass exodus of employees at RioZim. The aviation department has been the most affected. This saw the company outsourcing aviation services.
</blockquote>
RZM reportedly operates a fleet of planes consisting of a Kingair 200, a Navajo-PA31, and a Cessna 206.
The Piper 31 aircraft that crash-landed on Monday afternoon was reportedly under the stewardship of a private pilot.
No one was killed in the incident, but there were injuries to police officers armed internal security guards and the pilot.
The Zimbabwe Independent was told that Pilot Zvikomborero Nyamakura was at the controls when the aircraft crashed into a field about 16km outside Beatrice.
Others included Murowa Diamonds security officer Salfina Karimazondo and Obey Mabvundwi, a CID officer, along with guards from Fawcett Security.
RioZim chief executive officer (CEO), Manit Shar told the publication that he was in Asia this week, and was unable to comment on the accident.

Murowa Diamonds Fired Pilots Before Beatrice Plane Crash | Report

RioZim’s diamond extraction associate, Murowa Diamonds, registered a decline in output in the most recent years with Zimbabwe’s oldest operating diamond mining asset saying high-grade gems were depleted in 2019.
Murowa Diamonds chairman Saleem Rashid Beebeejaun revealed Friday that output during the year that ended December 31, 2020,  slipped to 579 000 carats after producing 685 000 carats in 2019.
It was generally a tough year for RioZim, which saw gold output at its three mines tumble 27% after breakdowns at the flagship Cam &amp; Motor operation and troubles at the ageing Dalny Mine pulled back operations.
Output at Dalny Mine fell by 46% to 198kg after its milling section was crippled by downtime. But Murowa’s huge influence within the RioZim empire was quite significant during the period, pushing its contribution to profits to $495 million, from $22 million previously.
In a commentary to the financial statements, Beebeejaun said:
<blockquote>The group’s associate, RZM Murowa Private Limited, produced 579 000 carats from 685 000 carats produced in the comparative period.
The lower production in the current year is attributable predominantly to the processing of the low grade K2 resources after the high grade K1 (kimberlite) resources had been depleted in the prior year.
The associate continued to contribute positively to the group’s profitability with a share of profit of $494,8 million compared to $22,9 million in the prior year.
The company will build on its exploration drive from the prior year in order to upgrade and increase confidence levels on all resources across all our mines in light of the declining grades at Renco, One Step and Dalny mines.</blockquote>
RioZim bounced back to profit after overturning a $581.4 million loss in 2019 and made a profit after tax of $452.73 million, which was underpinned by firming gold prices on the international markets.
Gold prices averaged US$1 765 per ounce (oz) during the review period, which was 27% higher than 2019’s US$1 395/oz.
Revenues increased to $3.1 billion in 2020 from $577 million in 2019.
Gold production declined by 27% from 1,66 tonnes achieved in the prior year to 1.21 tonnes.
The gold price maintained a growth trend throughout the year recording a 27% growth from the prior year’s average price of US$1 395/oz, to an average price of US$1 765/oz in the current year which counteracted the impact of lower production volumes.

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