Omane Boamah, Murturla Mohammed among helicopter crash victims

It has been confirmed that all the eight persons on board the military helicopter that crashed in the Adansi area of Ashanti Region on Wednesday morning have passed on.

A Ghana Air Force Z9 helicopter carrying eight people went missing after taking off from Accra this morning.

The aircraft departed the capital at 0912 hours en route to Obuasi but lost radar contact shortly after, according to the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).

At 2:30 pm, the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah at a press briefing from the presidency named the victims as Dr Edward Omane Boamah, Minister of Defence, Alhaji Dr Ibrahim Murturla Mohammed, Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, Alhaji Muniru Mohammed, acting Deputy National Security Coordinator and former Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Samuel Sarpong, Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), and Mr Samuel Aboagye, a former Parliamentary candidate, Squadron Leader Peter, Flying Officer Ampadu, Seargeant Ernest Addo Mensah.

On board were three crew members and five passengers, though their identities and the mission’s purpose were not immediately disclosed. Search operations are underway, with further updates promised.

The Z9, a utility helicopter often used for transport and medical evacuation, was last tracked over an undisclosed location. The GAF urged media outlets to disseminate the alert, noting: “For favour of publication, please.”

Observers suggest adverse weather conditions or technical issues could be factors, but authorities have not confirmed any causes. The Jubilee House is expected to brief the press on developments later today.