On Wednesday, a tragic event unfolded in Ghana’s Ashanti region as a military helicopter crashed, claiming the lives of eight people, including two ministers.
Among the victims were Defence Minister Edward Boamah and Environment Minister Ibrahim Mohammed.
According to confirmation by the Ghana Armed Forces, the Z-9 military helicopter en route from Accra to Obuasi, a gold-mining town, lost contact before it crashed.
The ill-fated aircraft had a total of eight occupants, consisting of five passengers and three crew members, when the incident took place.
Julius Debrah, Chief of Staff to President John Mahama, subsequently confirmed the fatalities in a statement and announced the decision to fly national flags at half-mast in tribute to the deceased.
“The president and government extend our deepest condolences to the families of our comrades and the gallant servicemen who died in service to the nation,” the statement read.
Investigations are currently ongoing to determine the cause of the crash.
Rescue teams were swiftly deployed to the crash site following the helicopter’s declaration of missing status.
On board were Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Malin Twum-Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah.
