Ghana Launches Investigation into Helicopter Crash That Killed Ministers and Six Others

On Thursday, August 7, 2025, President John Mahama announced a full and transparent investigation into the military helicopter crash that killed eight people, including Defence Minister Edward Omane Boamah, Environment, Science and Technology Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, and senior officials like Deputy National Security Coordinator Alhaji Mohammad Muniru Limuna and National Democratic Congress (NDC) Vice Chairman Samuel Sarpong, along with three air force crew members, as reported by BBC and Al Jazeera. The Z9 helicopter, en route from Accra to Obuasi in the Ashanti region for an anti-illegal mining event, crashed on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, in a dense forest near Adansi Akrofuom, approximately 270 km northwest of Accra, with no survivors.

Mahama, in a televised address, confirmed that the Ghana Armed Forces recovered the flight data and cockpit voice recorders, and a special board of inquiry has been established to determine the cause of the crash, which remains unknown. A state funeral is scheduled for August 15, 2025, with three days of national mourning declared from August 7, and flags ordered to fly at half-mast. A flower-laying and candle-lighting ceremony was held on August 7, as noted in a post by @GhanaPresidency on X. The crash, described as a “national tragedy” by Chief of Staff Julius Debrah, is one of Ghana’s worst air disasters in over a decade, per Euronews. Boamah, a former communications minister, and Muhammed, a key figure in combating illegal gold mining (Galamsey), were pivotal in Mahama’s administration. X posts from @DrKwabenaAgyen (August 7, 2025) raised concerns about the helicopter’s safety, suggesting neglect, though these claims remain unverified. The investigation’s findings are critical as Ghana grapples with the loss of key leaders amid ongoing environmental and security challenges.