All eight persons on board a military helicopter that crashed in the Adansi area of Ashanti Region, Ghana, this morning have passed on.
A Ghana Air Force Z9 helicopter carrying the eight persons went missing after taking off from Accra, the country’s capital, in the morning.
On board were three crew members and five passengers. The aircraft departed the capital at 0912 hours en route to Obuasi but lost radar contact shortly after, according to the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).
At 2:30 pm, Ghana’s Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, at a press briefing from the presidency named the victims and said they included two serving Ministers and top military officers.
“The government regrets to announce the demise of the following persons in the tragic crash: Dr Edward Kofi Omane Boamah, Minister of Defence, Alhaji Dr Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, Alhaji Muniru Mohammed Limuna, acting Deputy National Security Coordinator and former Minister of Food and Agriculture, Samuel Sarpong, Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), and Mr Samuel Aboagye, a former Parliamentary candidate.
“The others are Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Amaning Twum Ampadu and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah. Samuel Sarpong was a former Metropolitan Chief Executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) in President J.E.A. Mills era, and later became Ashanti Regional Minister and later Central Regional Minister.
“Dr Ibrahim Mohammed Murtala Mohammed on his part was also a Member of Parliament representing the people of Tamale Central.”
The Z9, a utility helicopter often used for transport and medical evacuation, was last tracked over an undisclosed location.
