Ghana is mourning the tragic loss of two government ministers and six others after a military helicopter crashed in the southern Ashanti region on Wednesday. The aircraft, a Z9 military helicopter, lost communication during a flight from the capital city, Accra, to Obuasi, a key mining town in southern Ghana.
Among the deceased are Defense Minister Edward Omane Boamah and Environment Minister Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, both high-ranking officials deeply involved in national security and environmental reforms. The crash also claimed the lives of Alhaji Mohammed Muniru Limuna, the acting deputy national security coordinator, Samuel Sarpong, vice chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), and Samuel Aboagye, a former parliamentary candidate.
Footage from Ghana’s Ashanti region shows the smouldering wreckage of a helicopter crash that killed the country’s defence and environment ministers, along with three officials and three air force crew. pic.twitter.com/LVyAY2ET0t
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) August 7, 2025
The Ghana Armed Forces confirmed that the helicopter lost contact mid-flight, prompting a search-and-rescue operation. The wreckage was discovered later in a remote forested area of the Ashanti region.
The crew members aboard the aircraft, Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Malin Twum-Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah, were also confirmed dead.
In a national address, Julius Debrah, Chief of Staff to the President, described the incident as a “national tragedy” and declared that national flags will be flown at half-mast across the country until further notice. He expressed condolences on behalf of the President and emphasized the country’s collective grief.
Authorities have launched a full investigation into the cause of the crash, while tributes continue to pour in from political leaders, military officials, and citizens across the country.
