2 Finnish business executives among 5 killed in plane crash in Zimbabwe

HELSINKI - Two Finnish business executives were among the five killed in a private plane crash in Zimbabwe, Finnish media reported Saturday.

The companies of the executives have confirmed their names as Heikki Vappula, director of the biorefining sector of United Paper Mills, a paper producer, and Pekka Ojanpaa, CEO of the service company Lassila & Tikanoja.

Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila and Foreign Minister Timo Soini expressed their condolences on the loss on social media.

Four Finns, including the two executives, and a Zimbabwean pilot were killed in the accident on Friday, Zimbabwean police said. The victims were on a hunting tour in the southern African country.

The other two Finns were reportedly an associate owner of a major legal service company and an influential staff member of a leading IT branch.