Ghana was plunged into mourning on Wednesday after a military helicopter crash claimed the lives of eight people, including Defence Minister Edward Omane Boamah and Environment Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed.
The ill-fated aircraft went down in the southern Ashanti region shortly after departing from Accra at around 9:00am local time, en route to Obuasi, according to the Ghanaian Air Force. It vanished from radar moments before the tragedy.
Also killed in the crash were Alhaji Mohammad Muniru Limuna, Deputy National Security Coordinator and former Agriculture Minister, and Samuel Sarpong, Vice Chairman of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Confirming the deaths, Presidential Chief of Staff Julius Debrah described the incident as a devastating blow to the nation.
> “The president and the government extend their condolences and solidarity to the families of our comrades and soldiers who fell in their service to the nation,” Debrah said.
President John Mahama has ordered flags flown at half-mast nationwide and suspended all official activities for the day as the country comes to terms with the high-profile loss.
Investigations are expected to commence immediately into the cause of the crash, which marks one of Ghana’s deadliest air disasters involving senior government officials.
