Omane Boamah, Mutala Mohammed dead in military helicopter crash

A tragic military helicopter crash in the Adansi Akrofuom District of the Ashanti Region on Wednesday, August 6, has reportedly claimed the lives of the Minister for Defence, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, and the Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed.

According to initial reports, the high-ranking government officials were aboard a Ghana Armed Forces Z-9 helicopter en route to Obuasi when the aircraft went off radar.

The helicopter was carrying eight individuals, including three crew members and five passengers, among them the ministers, a presidential staffer identified as Samuel Sarpong, and the ministers’ security detail.

Emergency response teams rushed to the crash site following the incident. Graphic footage and images obtained by Citi News showed the charred remains of several victims, though officials have yet to release a full list of the deceased or injured.

The Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene, who was attending an anti-illegal mining event at the time, reportedly abandoned the programme and rushed to the crash scene upon receiving the news.

In a brief statement, the Ghana Armed Forces confirmed that efforts were underway to trace and assess the wreckage of the helicopter after it lost contact shortly after takeoff on Wednesday morning. The cause of the crash remains unknown, and authorities have yet to confirm further details.

This incident comes more than a year after a previous helicopter accident on March 19, 2024, when a military aircraft crash-landed near Bonsukrom in the Western Region. Fortunately, that earlier crash resulted in no fatalities.

More updates are expected as investigations continue and families are notified.