A devastating helicopter crash in the Ashanti Region has plunged the nation into profound grief. On the morning of Wednesday, August 6, 2025, a Ghana Air Force Harbin Z9 military helicopter crashed en route from Accra to Obuasi, killing all people aboard. The helicopter took off around 9:00 a.m. from Kotoka International Airport in Accra en route to an anti-illegal mining event dubbed “the Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP)” in Obuasi. Shortly after the helicopter took off, radar contact was lost, and later the wreckage was discovered in a forested area of Adansi in the Ashanti Region. Reports indicate that the crash resulted in severe post-impact fire, leaving no survivors.
Among the victims were some of Ghana’s most respected public servants: Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, Minister of Defence, Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Samuel Sarpong, Vice-Chair of the National Democratic Congress and former Ashanti Regional Minister, Alhaji Muniru Mohammed Limuna, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator and former Agriculture Minister, and Samuel Aboagye, an ex-parliamentary candidate for Obuasi East. Three members of the helicopter’s crew: Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Twum Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah also had their lives perished in the crash.
Chief of Staff Julius Debrah, addressing the nation on Wednesday, called the incident a “national tragedy” and confirmed that all eight lives were lost. President John Dramani Mahama immediately suspended all public engagements and declared a three-day period of national mourning, during which flags will fly at half-mast.
An official investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the crash. At this early stage, no definitive cause such as mechanical failure or weather conditions has been confirmed.
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