President John Mahama has announced a full-scale investigation into the tragic crash of a Ghana Air Force helicopter that killed the country’s defence and environment ministers along with six others.
The incident occurred on Wednesday when the aircraft vanished from radar not long after departing from Accra for Obuasi in the southern region of Ghana.
Among the victims were Defence Minister Edward Omane Boamah, Environment Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, senior political figures, and members of the air force crew. Mahama, addressing the nation in a televised speech, said that both the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder had been recovered from the crash site. He confirmed that a special board of enquiry had been set up to investigate the events leading to the accident.
“The Ghana Armed Forces has initiated a full and transparent investigation into the circumstances of this crash,” the president said, describing the deaths as a profound loss for the nation and calling it “a moment of shared heartbreak.”
All eight bodies were recovered from the wreckage, and the president announced that a state funeral would be held on August 15 to honour the deceased. In the wake of the tragedy, Mahama suspended all official engagements for the remainder of the week and declared three days of national mourning starting Thursday, with all flags to be flown at half-mast across the country.
The Ghana Armed Forces assured that the inquiry would be exhaustive and that the findings would be made public once the investigation is concluded. The president emphasised that the nation has lost some of its most promising leaders and that the coming days would be dedicated to remembrance and unity.
What you should know
The fatal crash took place shortly after the military helicopter departed Accra for Obuasi. Both Defence Minister Edward Omane Boamah and Environment Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed were among the dead, alongside other political leaders and air force crew members.
The recovery of the flight data and cockpit voice recorders is expected to play a crucial role in uncovering the cause of the accident.
President Mahama has initiated a comprehensive inquiry, suspended all his engagements for the week, and declared a three-day mourning period. A state funeral for the victims will take place on August 15.
