NEED TO KNOW
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Mynie Steffens died in a helicopter crash in South Africa in the morning of Nov, 10
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Steffens, known for co-hosting Speel met Vuur, was spraying pesticides at a citrus farm when the crash occurred
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After her death, Steffens’ friend and co-host said she “had a big heart, gentle soul, the glue that kept people together”
A beloved chef and TV host died in a tragic helicopter accident in South Africa.
The 43-year-old woman died after the helicopter she was flying crashed at a citrus farm outside the town of Patensie in the Eastern Cape on Monday, Nov. 10, according to South African outlets IOL, the George Herald and the Cape Argus. The outlets identified the woman as Mynie Steffens.
Steffens — a helicopter pilot, cookbook author and TV personality — was spraying oranges at the farm with pesticides just before 8 a.m. local time on Monday when the aircraft crashed, according to SABC News and IOL.
Prior to the crash, the helicopter had struck power lines, the George Herald and the Cape Argus, citing the Accidents and Incidents Investigations Division (AIID).
“Information that is at our disposal indicates that the pilot was conducting a pest control operation flight when the helicopter struck power lines and crashed,” the AIID said in a statement obtained by the George Herald. “The helicopter itself was substantially damaged due to impact force.”
Mynie Steffens/Instagram
Mynie Steffens
Photos of the accident shared by the latter outlet show the helicopter in a patch of grass at the farm, with pieces of the exterior clearly missing from the crash.
Police are currently investigating the incident. The South African Police Service did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Steffens was the co-host of the lifestyle cooking show Speel met Vuur, and penned a cookbook of the same name. She started the VIA TV show with her friend from high school, Aldi van der Walt, after the pair reconnected following 16 years apart, according to IOL.
Van der Walt spoke with IOL about her childhood friend’s sudden death just hours after the accident, calling it a “massive shock” and “tragic loss.” She also shared more insight into Steffens’ life, telling the outlet that she lived it “to the full.”
“She was always full of ideas that had transformed into successful endeavours, and then executing that with success, winning over people as she went along,” Van der Walt said of her late friend and co-host. “She could make time for people from every walk of life, and that was her priority.”
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The late Speel met Vuur host also “had a big heart, gentle soul, the glue that kept people together,” Van der Walt told the outlet. “She had patience and kindness coupled with humour, and that made her irresistible to people. I will miss my friend. Her absence will be felt by many.”
VIA TV shared a tribute to the late chef on Facebook.
“Rest in peace, Mynie Steffens,” read the network’s post, which was originally penned in Afrikaans. “You were adventurous until the end. With #PlayWithFire, you showed us all how to approach life with curiosity and bravery. Sleep softly.”
Read the original article on People
