HARARE
–
A
Zimbabwean
explosives
and
demining
specialist,
Henry
Martin
Douglas
Macharaga,
has
died
in
Argentina
after
an
explosive
device
detonated
in
his
hands.
He
was
52.
The
incident,
which
is
under
investigation,
occurred
on
August
19
along
National
Route
34,
one
of
Argentina’s
longest
highways
linking
several
towns
and
stretching
to
the
Bolivian
border.
Macharaga,
originally
from
Chirumanzu
in
the
Midlands
province,
had
been
working
in
Argentina
with
The
Development
Initiative
(TDI),
a
company
specialising
in
demining
operations.
On
his
LinkedIn
profile,
Macharaga
described
himself
as
an
experienced
explosives
and
demining
expert
with
decades
of
work
across
conflict
and
post-conflict
zones.
His
work
took
him
to
places
such
as
Azerbaijan,
South
Sudan,
Mali,
Somalia,
Afghanistan,
Ethiopia,
Eritrea,
Kuwait,
Lebanon,
Angola,
Mozambique,
and
Central
America
and
South
America.
Colleagues
said
he
brought
professionalism
and
courage
to
some
of
the
world’s
most
dangerous
environments.
Macharaga’s
relatives
say
they
are
devastated
by
the
loss
and
are
appealing
to
his
employer
to
urgently
assist
with
repatriation
of
his
body
and
financial
support
for
his
young
family.
He
is
survived
by
his
wife
and
two
children.
“Of
course,
no
money
can
replace
a
lost
life,
but
that
will
help
to
manage
the
situation,”
a
relative
said.