A Z-9 helicopter similar to this crashed in Ghana, killing eighth officials, including two top government ministers, and their flight crew | Credit: Wikipedia
Ghana’s defence and environment ministers are among the eight people who died in a military helicopter crash in the southern Ashanti region on Wednesday, August 6th, according to the chief of staff to the country’s president.
Defence Minister Edward Omane Boamah and Environment Minister Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed were among the five passengers on board the helicopter, CNN reported in a breaking news bulletin. There were three crew members on board the aircraft as well.
Ghana’s Armed Forces notified earlier on Wednesday that they had lost communication with a Z9 helicopter that was en route from the capital of Accra to Obuasi, a mining town in southern Ghana.
According to CNN, Julius Debrah, the chief of staff, said that the accident was a “national tragedy” and announced that flags will fly at half mast until further notice.
“The president and the government extend their condolences and solidarity to the families of our comrades and soldiers who fell in their service to the nation,” said Debrah.
Causes of the accident remain unknown
The government official also said that Alhaji Mohammed Muniru Limuna, Ghana’s acting deputy national security coordinator, Samuel Sarpong, the vice chairman of the National Democratic Congress and Samuel Aboagye, a former parliamentary candidate, were the three other persons travelling in the helicopter. They too died.
The helicopter’s crew were named as Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, flying officer Malin Twum-Ampadu and Sgt. Ernest Addo Mensah.
The cause of the crash was not immediately known, and the military said an investigation was underway, AP reported.
