Ghana has been thrown into mourning following the deaths of Defence Minister Edward Omane Boamah and Minister of Environment, Science and Technology Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed in a military helicopter crash on Wednesday in the Ashanti region, according to a report by Reuters.
Julius Debrah, Chief of Staff to President John Mahama, confirmed that the crash also claimed the lives of three additional government officials and three members of the Air Force.
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During a press briefing, Debrah expressed the nation’s deep grief over the incident, calling it a “national tragedy” and emphasizing the profound impact on Ghana’s leadership and military.
“The president and government extend our condolences and sympathies to the families of our comrades and the servicemen who died in service to the country,” Debrah was quoted by Reuters.
Prior to the tragic confirmation, the Ghana Armed Forces had reported a loss of radar contact with a Z9 model helicopter operated by the Air Force.
The aircraft had a total of eight people on board—three crew members and five passengers. While the full list of names has yet to be released, officials have confirmed that recovery operations are underway at the crash location.
The helicopter, typically deployed by the military for transport and medivac missions, was last detected in flight over an undisclosed area before all communications ceased.
Authorities have not yet identified the exact cause of the crash, though preliminary indications point to a potential technical issue or adverse weather as contributing factors.
