Zimbabwe's aviation authorities say the pilot of a US-built helicopter died when he crashed into a wooded mountainside in the country's remote southwest.
State media reported that the pilot, identified as a prominent Zimbabwean businessman based in South Africa, was flying alone to visit relatives in the American Robinson R44 model, a four-seat light helicopter, when it crashed and caught fire on Saturday.
Authorities said the cause of the crash was not clear today, but villagers in the area reported hearing an "unusually loud sound" coming from the aircraft before it nosedived.
First aid emergency services at the scene said severed remains of the pilot were found several meters from the wreckage suggesting he might have tried to jump out but was caught in the rotor blades.
