Opposition Leader In Zimbabwe And Four Others Killed 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 Raton (Rah-TOHNE), which is about 175 miles northeast of Albuquerque.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Lynn Lunsford said the helicopter was a Huey UH-1. He says information on its registration isn’t available.

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.

Armijo said no additional information was immediately available about the circumstances of the crash.The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate.

CBS News