Ghana is reeling from a devastating military helicopter crash that claimed the lives of eight people on Wednesday, including two senior government ministers and other top officials. The tragedy has been described by the government as a “national catastrophe,” prompting an outpouring of grief across the country.
The helicopter, identified by state media as a Z-9 model commonly used for transport and medical evacuation, departed from the capital city of Accra in the morning. It was en route to Obuasi, a gold-mining hub in the Ashanti region, when it suddenly went off radar. Hours later, wreckage was discovered in the forested Adansi area of Ashanti, with debris reportedly engulfed in flames. A video circulating online shows local citizens gathering at the crash site, some attempting to assist amid the wreckage.
Among the victims were Defense Minister Edward Omane Boamah and Environment Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed. Also killed were the vice-chair of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), a senior national security adviser, and several crew members. Their deaths mark a profound loss for Ghana’s leadership and have shaken the nation’s political establishment.
Mourners gathered at Boamah’s residence and at the NDC headquarters in Accra, where tributes poured in from colleagues, citizens, and international observers. Flags were lowered to half-mast, and moments of silence were observed in government offices and schools across the country.
The Ghanaian military has launched an investigation into the cause of the crash, which remains unknown. Aviation experts and defense analysts are expected to assist in the inquiry, with attention likely to focus on mechanical failure, weather conditions, and flight protocols.
This incident ranks among Ghana’s worst aviation disasters in recent history. In May 2014, a service helicopter crashed off the coast, killing three people. Two years earlier, in 2012, a cargo plane overshot the runway in Accra and collided with a passenger bus, resulting in ten fatalities.
As the nation mourns, tributes continue to flow for the fallen leaders, whose contributions to defense, environmental policy, and national security were widely respected. The tragedy has sparked renewed calls for rigorous safety measures in military aviation and greater oversight of aircraft maintenance and operations.