All Eight Bodies Retrieved After Military Helicopter Crash Claims Top Government Officials
Ghana is mourning the loss of eight individuals, including two senior government ministers, following the fatal crash of a military helicopter in the Adansi Akrofuom District of the Ashanti Region.
The tragic incident, which occurred on Wednesday, August 6, has claimed the lives of Defence Minister Dr Edward Omane Boamah and Environment Minister Dr Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, both key figures in the current administration. The helicopter was reportedly en route to Obuasi when it vanished from radar, prompting a swift and intensive search operation led by the Ghana Armed Forces and national security teams.
After hours of searching, the wreckage of the Ghana Armed Forces Z-9 helicopter was located deep within the forested terrain of Adansi Akrofuom. A coordinated recovery mission ensued, and by early Thursday morning, all eight bodies were retrieved from the crash site.
The full list of deceased includes:
Dr Edward Omane Boamah, Minister of Defence
Dr Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, Minister for Environment
Samuel Sarpong, National First Vice Chairman of the NDC
Samuel Aboagye, former parliamentary candidate
Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Ghana Armed Forces
Flying Officer Manin Twum-Ampadu, Ghana Armed Forces
Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah, Ghana Armed Forces
Alhaji Muniru Mohammed, Acting Director of the National Service Secretariat
The Presidency has since confirmed the fatalities and expressed profound sorrow over the incident. As a mark of national mourning, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has directed that all national flags be flown at half-mast until further notice.
While the cause of the crash remains under investigation, preliminary indications suggest that the aircraft encountered a sudden malfunction mid-flight. Authorities have assured the public of a full-scale inquiry into the matter to determine what went wrong.
This devastating crash has not only left a void in the country’s political leadership but also sent shockwaves through the armed forces and the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), which lost two prominent party stalwarts in the tragedy.
As tributes pour in from across the country and beyond, the families of the deceased, government institutions, and the general public are left to grapple with one of the most significant air disasters in Ghana’s recent history.
