Indian billionaire Harpal Randhawa and his 12-year-old son Amer were killed in a plane crash in Zimbabwe on Friday, media reports said.

They were among six who were killed in the crash, which took place near a diamond mine in southwestern part of the country.

The crash took place when the father-son were travelling from Harare to Murowa diamond mine.

The explosion may have occurred due to a mid-air technical fault.

Randhawa was the owner of RioZim, which produces coal, gold, copper and nickel. He was also the chairman of GEM Group at the time of his death.

Mourning his death, filmmaker Hopewell Chin'ono wrote a long post on X.

An excerpt of his post reads,"I am deeply saddened with the passing of Harpal Randhawa, the owner of Rio Zim who died today in a plane crash in Zvishavane. 5 other people including his son who was also a pilot, but a passenger on this flight also died in the crash. I first met Harpal in 2017 through a mutual friend and businessman, Kalaa Mpinga who owned Mwana Africa mines.

"We became friends visiting each other and also became walking partners, walking on Sundays from Drew to Borrowdale race course. I learnt a lot about the business world through him during our walks. He was very generous with life advice, and very humble for the wealthy man that he was. Through him I met many people in the business, diplomatic, and political worlds..."