Ghana is reeling from a devastating helicopter crash that claimed the lives of several high-profile government officials in the Adansi Akrofuom District of the Ashanti Region on Wednesday, August 6.
Among the dead are the Minister for Defence, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, and the Minister for Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed. Also perishing in the crash were Muniru Mohammed, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator; Samuel Aboagye, a former parliamentary candidate; and Samuel Sarpong, Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) identified the crew members as Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Manin Twum-Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah, who also lost their lives.
The victims were on board a GAF Z-9 military helicopter, reportedly en route to Obuasi for official government engagements, when the aircraft lost radar contact shortly after takeoff. Emergency response teams dispatched to the crash site found the wreckage engulfed in flames. Graphic visuals obtained by Citi News revealed the charred remains of the aircraft and some victims, though an official list of the deceased has yet to be publicly confirmed.
Ashanti Regional Minister Dr. Frank Amoakohene, who was attending an anti-illegal mining programme at the time of the incident, abruptly left the event upon receiving news of the crash and proceeded to the site.
In a preliminary statement, the Ghana Armed Forces acknowledged the incident, noting that search and rescue operations were underway. The cause of the crash remains unknown, and investigations have been launched to determine what led to the fatal incident.
This is Ghana’s second military aviation incident in recent memory. On March 19, 2024, a military helicopter crash-landed near Bonsukrom in the Western Region. That earlier crash, however, resulted in no fatalities.
As the nation waits for further details and formal confirmation of casualties, tributes have begun pouring in for the victims, many of whom were prominent figures in the country’s political and security landscape.
The Presidency is expected to issue an official statement shortly.
