Wednesday, 6th August 2025 was a black day for the people of Ghana. A military helicopter carrying 8 people including two ministers of Ghana crashed in the central Ashanti Region.
What Happened?
In the early hours of Wednesday, 6th August 2025, 8 people board the military helicopter Z9 to attend an event in Obuasi in the Ashanti themed “Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Program, rCOMSDEP, and important initiative to change Ghana’s artisans and small-scale mining (ASM) sector. President Mahama was expected to attend the event but had to cancel to attend another event in the capital of Ghana. The military helicopter Z9 took off at 09:12 GMT from Accra heading towards the event. Some few hours later, the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) released a press statement saying that they can’t seem to make contact with one of their helicopters and all efforts are being made to locate the helicopters’ radar. Unfortunately, the military helicopter Z9 crashed into a forest at the Adansi Akrofuom in the Ashanti Region close to Obuasi. The crash claimed the lives of all those who were on board including 3 crew members and 5 passengers. Their charred bodies were beyond recognition.
Names of 8 People Involved in The Crash
The deceased names are as follows;
- Dr. Edward Omane Boamah (Minister of Defence)
- Murtala Mohammed (Minister for Environment, Science and Technology)
- Muniru Mohammed (Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator)
- Samuel Aboagye (A former NDC Parliamentary Candidate for Obuasi East)
- Samuel Sarpong (Vice Chairman of the NDC and a former Kumasi Mayor)
- Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala
- Flying Officer Mane-Twum Ampadu
- Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah
Their remains were flown back to Accra in the evening of 6th August 2025 and were received by the Chief of Staff, Hon. Julius Debrah and other government officials at the military air base in Accra.
Impact of the Crash
Following the news of the crash, tributes poured from the President, government officials, Ghanaians, and the international community to the bereaved families. According to the Education minister of Ghana, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu commented that, “the president was emotionally down, down”. The president also ordered Ghana’s flag to fly at half-mast and a three-day mourning was to be observed. Investigations are underway to determine the cause of the crash.
