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*Canada: Toronto Man Seeks Answers About Wife's Sudden Death During Trip To Zimbabwe*
https://www.pindula.co.zw/2023/09/18/canada-toronto-man-seeks-answers-about-wifes-sudden-death-during-trip-to-zimbabwe/?article

A Toronto man is seeking answers as he was unaware of his wife’s sudden death during her trip from Toronto to Zimbabwe. Gordin Mapika deeply regrets not expressing more to his wife when he dropped her off at Toronto Pearson International Airport. Little did he know that it would be their final goodbye.

Ketty Shonga, a Canadian citizen, was travelling alone to her birth country of Zimbabwe, a journey she had made several times before. Her United Airlines flight included multiple connections through Chicago, Newark, and Johannesburg, with an expected arrival in Zimbabwe on July 6, according to her flight records. Mapika said:

_She never called or texted._

_We thought ‘Why is she not communicating? Could it be a power outage in Zimbabwe because there have been electrical problems there or could it be maybe she traveled out of the city where there is no network? We did not know._

Ketty Shonga

Shonga’s daughter contacted United Airlines through an online chat forum to inquire about her mother’s flight details. Screenshots of the conversation show that the representative confirmed Shonga’s flight UA188 from Newark on July 5 and her arrival at Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo Airport at 7:05 p.m. the following day. However, Shonga was supposed to catch a connecting flight from O.R. Tambo to Zimbabwe. Isabel Murambiwa said:

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_So, at this point we assumed she did but after not hearing from her for several days we became incredibly worried._

After seven days without any communication from Shonga, her husband Mapika contacted a family member in South Africa for help. Mapika’s nephew visited O.R. Tambo airport to seek answers and sadly discovered that Shonga had passed away. In shock, Mapika immediately booked a flight to Johannesburg, where his wife’s body was being held. An autopsy revealed that she had died from a pulmonary embolism. While the death certificate lists O.R. Tambo Airport as the location of death, the family remains uncertain if she died at the airport or on the plane. Mapika said:

_We have been unable to get those answers._

The family also doesn’t understand why they weren’t notified. Murambiwa said:

_Had we not sent someone to the airport, we may have never known. It appeared as though she was being held as a Jane Doe, meaning her body was undeclared by family._

Shonga’s only form of identification used in her death record was an old Zimbabwean ID card, despite her travelling with her Canadian passport. Murambiwa, a family member, expressed disappointment, stating that the authorities could have contacted the Canadian embassy or Toronto police, as Shonga was a Canadian citizen. Mapika, after arriving in South Africa, claimed her body, arranged a proper burial, and discovered that some of her belongings were missing, including her shoes, walking cane, and approximately $4,000 in cash she had brought in a backpack. Mapika said:

_Only $1,100 out of $5,000 was recovered. I just want police or United Airlines to tell me what exactly happened to my wife._

CityNews attempted to contact United Airlines for information, but a spokesperson declined to comment on the matter. CityNews also reached out to Johannesburg police but has not received a response yet. Shonga’s family, unable to obtain the answers they seek, is now appealing for information from anyone who may have witnessed or know what happened during the flight or at the airport. They are desperate to understand where she passed away. Mapika expressed his desire to share the details with his children and grandchildren, hoping to shed light on that tragic day.

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