Zimbabwe: Indian Billionaire Harpal Randhawa And Son Killed In Plane crash
Harpal Singh Randhawa, an Indian billionaire and his son Amer Kabir Singh Randhawa died in a plane crash with four others. Mr. Randhawa”s private plane crashed near Murowa diamond mine in Zvamahande in Mashava, southwestern Zimbabwe. Report says the crash was due to technical fault.
Harpal Randhawa is the owner of RioZim which is a mining company that produce gold, coal and refining of nickel and copper. The single-engined white and red Cessna 206 aircraft, which was owned by RioZim, was travelling to Murowa Diamond mine, which he partly owns, from Harare.
According to a state-owned daily newspaper, The Herald, police said all four of the victims were foreigners and the others two Zimbabweans. Zimbabwe Republic Policer reported a plane crash on September 29 between 7:30 am and 8:00 am. The plane crashed as a result of technical failure leading to a mid-air explosion.
Hopewell Chinono, filmmaker and journalist who is also a friend of Mr. Randhawa confirmed the death of the Indian billionaire while the police did not release the name of the deceased. Mr. Randhawa”s son, Amer Randhawa was also a pilot. But he was a passenger on the crashed plane, as per Mr. Chinono. Taking to X (formerly twitter), the film maker wrote about Mr. Randhawa”s demise. Mr. Randhwa and Chinono met in 2017 through a mutual friend. He said he learnt a lot about business world through Mr. Randhawa and he was a generous and humble man.
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
Later, the journalist and film maker, Mr. Chinono also shared about the memorial service, which was planned by the family of the deceased to host on October 4th.
The family of Harpal Randhawa who died with his son Amer on Friday in a plane crash, respectfully invite all his friends and associates to celebrate his life and that of his son Amer at a memorial service at Raintree on Wednesday the 4th of October, 2023.
Arrival time is 3PM.… pic.twitter.com/cWF0kPhe7G
— Hopewell Chin’ono (@daddyhope) October 1, 2023
But later announced that the memorial service was postponed due to the unfinished required procedures.
The family of Harpal Randhawa who died with his son Amer, and four colleagues on Friday in a plane crash, would like to inform all his friends and associates that the memorial service pencilled for Wednesday has been postponed as the State is yet to finish all the required… pic.twitter.com/ZjMf0FkF8S
— Hopewell Chin’ono (@daddyhope) October 2, 2023
The new date of the memorial service is yet to be released.
