By A Correspondent- A Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) ecologist who was reported missing from the wreckage of a crashed light aircraft was located on Monday.

This followed the deployment of four light aircraft and helicopters, sniffer dogs and a party of 25 people by ZimParks on Saturday.

The official, whose age is unknown, set off on foot Saturday in a bid to get help after their Cessna 182 crashed on an escarpment in the Chewore area on Friday.

A South African national died in the accident while two other men – the Zimbabwean pilot and a South African wildlife expert – were critically injured and are admitted at a local hospital.

ZimParks spokesman Tinashe Farawo told ZimLive that he was yet to make contact with the search team but a member of the search party, speaking to the publication on condition of anonymity said the missing person had been found.

He said:

He was fine but very dehydrated. He most probably couldn’t have survived another night in the heat surrounded by dangerous animals.

It is not yet clear what caused the light aircraft to come down but the ZimParks official has commended the pilot for his heroics in trying to save the plane.

Said Farawo:

We understand the pilot made a heroic effort to save the aircraft. The particular area they were flying over is mountainous, and we understand the pilot battled to land the aircraft as best as he could on a gentler escarpment, possibly saving three lives.-ZimLive