The Zimbabwe Republic Police reported a plane crash which occurred on September 29 between 7.30 am and 8 am, where six people are confirmed dead. Harpal Randhawa and his son were among those killed in the mishap.
New Delhi: An Indian billionaire and his son were among the six individuals killed when their private plane, Cessna-206, crashed near a diamond mine in southwestern Zimbabwe after experiencing a technical fault. Harpal Randhawa, the owner of RioZim, along with his son and four others was killed when the plane crashed in the Zvamahande area of Mashava, iHarare. According to the Herald, a state-owned daily newspaper, four of the victims were foreigners and the other two Zimbabweans. “The Zimbabwe Republic Police reported a plane crash which occurred on September 29 between 7.30 am and 8 am, where six people are confirmed dead,” police said.
While the police are yet to disclose the identities of the deceased, noted Zimbabwean journalist-filmmaker Hopewell Chin’ono revealed Harpal and Amer Randhawa as two of the victims. Their memorial service will take place on Wednesday, Chin’ono added, citing an invitation from the Randhawa family.
I am deeply saddened with the passing of Harpal Randhawa, the owner of Rio Zim who died today in a plane crash in Zvishavane.
5 other people including his son who was also a pilot, but a passenger on this flight also died in the crash.
I first met Harpal in 2017 through a… pic.twitter.com/A0AGOaR3sw
— Hopewell Chin’ono (@daddyhope) September 29, 2023
Who was Harpal Randhawa?
- The 60-year-old Randhawa was the founder of private equity firm GEM Holdings worth $4 billion. was the owner of RioZim, a diversified mining company producing gold and coal as well as refining nickel and copper.
- He also had vast gold, diamond and coal mining interests in Zimbabwe and was a prominent figure in the country.
- According to his LinkedIn profile, Randhawa has served as the chairman of the GEM group for 30 years after its formation in July 1993. Aside from that, he was a partner at Sabre Capital Worldwide for 12 years and a senior adviser at the real estate firm Safanad for three years.
- Randhawa completed his education at the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) and the University of London. As per reports, he was planning his next business venture. His wife’s name has not been revealed yet.
- The billionaire’s son, 22-year-old Amer Kabir Singh Randhawa, is a trained pilot, who also died in the tragic accident on Friday. The names of the other deceased passengers are yet to be released by police.
Many people expressed grief and condolences over Randhawa’s death on social media. Meanwhile, the local community and law enforcement agencies are working together to manage the aftermath of the plane crash.