Let’s Probe Reports That a Passenger Made a Call Before Crash – Col. Festus Aboagye

Security analyst Colonel Festus Aboagye (Rtd.) has stressed the importance of combining black box data, telecom records, and forensic science in investigations into the recent military helicopter crash that claimed the lives of eight Ghanaian soldiers.

Speaking on KeyPoints on TV3 on Saturday, August 16, Col. Aboagye explained that the aircraft was equipped with an anti-crash recorder, which retains the last 30 minutes of flight data. He said this device provides crucial details such as altitude, speed, engine performance, bearing, and cockpit conversations—information investigators can use to piece together the sequence of events.

“The cockpit voice recorder could capture not just the crew’s exchanges but also interactions with non-crew members in the cockpit. These can later be verified against phone records,” he said.

Referencing reports that a passenger allegedly made a phone call before the crash, Col. Aboagye urged investigators to collaborate with telecommunications companies to retrieve call logs and match them with voice recordings.
“Records of calls, their timing, and duration can be synchronized with cockpit data to establish consistency and timelines,” he noted.

He also highlighted the critical role of forensic science, including DNA testing to confirm the identities of those on board and other methods to establish the crash circumstances.

“In modern aviation investigations, it is not only about the wreckage. Phone data, voice recordings, and forensic analysis together provide a holistic view of what transpired,” Col. Aboagye emphasized.

While describing the tragedy as deeply painful, he insisted that a meticulous investigation is the only path to uncovering the truth and preventing future disasters.