Authorities in Ghana have flown remains of the eight victims from Wednesday’s military helicopter crash to South Africa for advanced DNA analysis, as the nation grapples with the deaths of several high-ranking government and military officials.
The Z-9 military helicopter, operated by the Ghana Armed Forces, went down during an official flight over the Adansi Akrofuom District in the Ashanti Region. Among the victims were two cabinet ministers: Defence Minister Dr. Edward Omane Boamah and Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation.
Also killed were Alhaji Muniru Mohammed, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator; Samuel Aboagye, a former parliamentary candidate; and Dr. Samuel Sarpong, Vice Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress. The aircraft’s three crew members—Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flight Officer Manin Twum-Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah—also perished in the crash.
Although initial post-mortem procedures were slated to be carried out at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra, the condition of the remains prompted the Ghanaian government to seek more advanced forensic capabilities. The remains were subsequently transported to South Africa to facilitate DNA identification.
On Thursday evening, a solemn reception was held at the Air Force Base in Accra as the remains were returned from the crash site. The coffins, draped in the national colors, were received under heavy military escort. Chief of Staff Julius Debrah led a government delegation at the ceremony, which included prayers, a moment of silence, and the attendance of bereaved families, senior military officials, and government dignitaries.
The government has declared a three-day period of national mourning beginning Thursday, August 7. Flags are being flown at half-staff across the country, and all official state functions have been suspended in honor of the deceased.
The tragedy has triggered growing calls for an independent and transparent investigation. The Bureau of Public Safety, an advocacy group, has urged the government to ensure a comprehensive probe into the crash to determine its root causes and prevent similar incidents in the future.
The Z-9 helicopter, a Chinese-manufactured aircraft, is part of Ghana’s aging military fleet, raising broader concerns about aviation safety standards within the country’s defense infrastructure.
As the nation mourns, attention now turns to both the formal identification of the victims and the anticipated inquiry into what led to one of the deadliest military aviation incidents in Ghana’s recent history.
