Vic Falls tourist buried

Mukudzei Chingwere

THE family of the late local tourist — Mr Roy George Tinashe Dikinya — who died after slipping on a Victoria Falls gorge on New Year’s Day, has thanked the Government for retrieving his remains.

Mr Dikinya (40), a fitness instructor, was buried yesterday at Glen Forest Cemetery in Harare with the Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr John Mangwiro, among those who attended the burial ceremony.

In his remarks to mourners, Dr Mangwiro said it was painful to lose a loved one, but thanked the Government for successfully recovering Mr Dikinya’s remains.

“It is sad to lose him in such a way. But we want to thank the Government, all the departments and everyone involved for retrieving his remains so that we can come and pay our last respects,” said Dr Mangwiro.

The mother of the late fitness instructor — Mrs Eileen Dikinya — said it was disheartening to lose her son in such an unfortunate manner.

“It is painful, very painful to lose him this way. But we thank the efforts of those who recovered his remains. This afforded us the chance to give him a decent burial,” she said.

Walking parallel to the edge of the falls, Mr Dikinya missed a step, slid, failed to catch his grip on wet rocks before falling hundreds of metres down.

His remains were found trapped on a chasm by rescuers after days of searching.

Before his remains were discovered, colleagues held out hope that the father of four, who is a gym instructor, would somehow have a chance to survive.

The Air Force of Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Authority rangers helped recover his remains after a five-day operation.