By Nadia Ntiamoah
In what could have turned into another aviation disaster, four individuals aboard a private helicopter narrowly escaped injury on Wednesday morning, August 6, after the aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing at Ajumako Kokoben, a town in the Ajumako Enyan Essiam District of the Central Region.
The helicopter, identified by registration number 9G-ADW, was reportedly on a flight from Accra to Prestea in the Western Region when the pilot encountered severe weather conditions, including poor visibility and turbulence.
Around 10:30 a.m., the pilot made the decision to divert and land the helicopter at the Ajumako Kokoben Community School park, citing safety concerns and potential risk to lives if the flight had continued.
Eyewitnesses, some of whom gathered at the scene after spotting the low-flying aircraft, told local reporters that the helicopter circled briefly before touching down in the open field.
Residents initially thought the aircraft was part of a planned event or government visit until word spread that it was an unscheduled landing.
“The pilot said the weather ahead was too dangerous to fly through. He didn’t want to risk our lives,” an unnamed occupant of the helicopter reportedly told a local assemblyman.
Fortunately, all four occupants—believed to be business officials—escaped unhurt, and the helicopter remained grounded for over three hours until weather conditions stabilized.
The flight eventually resumed its journey without further incident.
Narrow Escape
The emergency landing at Ajumako Kokoben occurred barely an hour before a separate and devastating helicopter crash in the Adansi Akrofuom District of the Ashanti Region, which claimed the lives of eight people, including the Minister for Defence, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, and Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovations, Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed.
The stark contrast between the two incidents—one ending in tragedy, the other in a miraculous escape—has deepened public interest and concern about aviation safety, particularly involving both military and private aircraft in the increasingly unpredictable weather conditions.
Residents of Ajumako Kokoben, who initially cheered the rare sight of a helicopter landing in their community, soon found themselves mourning along with the rest of the nation as news of the fatal military crash filtered in.
“We were so excited when the helicopter landed here. But our joy turned into sorrow when we heard about the crash in the Ashanti Region,” one resident recounted to reporters.
As of the time of filing this report, aviation authorities had not released an official statement regarding the emergency landing at Ajumako Kokoben.
It remains unclear which company or institution operated the 9G-ADW helicopter, and whether further investigations will be launched into the incident.
However, aviation experts suggest the pilot’s decision to abort the flight due to poor weather should be commended, especially considering the tragic outcome of the Z-9 military helicopter crash that occurred shortly thereafter.
