Five Israeli diamond executives were killed in Friday's crash of a light plane in Namibia as they were departing for a safari trip. The plane crashed a few minutes after take-off from Windhoek en route to Etosha National Park. The pilot was also killed
The five Israelis who were confirmed to have been aboard the light plane, and have officially been declared missing, are Shlomo Zilberberg, the owner of a diamond company, Shmuel Zigdon, Amit Cohen, Ilan Hadadi, and Avichai Abarov. The five executives, who worked out of the Ramat Gan Diamond Exchange and also owned numerous diamond mines and polishing compounds in Namibia.
Namibia is a major center for Israel's diamond industry. Israeli diamond companies receive sights and buy rough stones from mining companies. Lev Leviev' Leviev Group of Companies is the largest Israeli diamond company operating in the country.
Most Israeli diamond companies operate in Namibia in partnership with foreign companies. Israeli companies greatly expanded their business in Namibia, Botswana and other countries after quitting Angola, Sierra Leone, and other countries where so-called "conflict diamonds" or "blood diamonds" helped finance civil wars and insurgencies.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on January 13, 2008
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