Zimbabwe opposition leader dies in New Mexico helicopter crash

Authorities in New Mexico say key Zimbabwean opposition leader Roy Bennett has been killed in a helicopter crash.

State Police Lt. Elizabeth Armijo confirmed Bennett’s death Thursday, a day after a helicopter carrying him and five others went down in a mountainous rural area of northern New Mexico.

Obert Gutu, spokesman for the MDC-T opposition party, said the loss of Bennett, a white man who spoke fluent Shona and drew the wrath of former President Robert Mugabe, was tragic. Gutu says Bennett’s wife, Heather, also died.

The crash killed five and injured a sixth person aboard. The helicopter went down about 6 p.m. Wednesday near the Colorado state line.

The four others who died were Pilot Jamie Coleman Dodd (57) of Trinidad, CO, Co-pilot Paul Cobb (67) of Conroe, TX ,Charles Ryland Burnett (61) of Houston, TX, and Eileen Bennett (55) of Colorado.

Armijo said no additional information was immediately available about the circumstances of the crash.