By Daniel Bampoe
The Ghanaian authorities have retrieved the Black Box of the Ghana Air Force helicopter that crashed on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, killing all eight people on board, including high-ranking government officials.
The vital piece of flight data equipment was recovered by military investigators who stormed the crash site in the dense forest area of the Adansi Akrofuom District in the Ashanti Region on Thursday morning.
The Black Box, which records critical flight information and cockpit communication, is expected to provide key insights into what caused the fatal crash of the Z-9 military helicopter en route to Obuasi.
Military sources say the data will be crucial to ongoing investigations into the worst peacetime aviation disaster in Ghana’s recent history.
Following the crash, the government confirmed that due to the unrecognizable state of the victims’ remains, samples have been flown to South Africa for advanced DNA analysis and identification.
Initially, the 37 Military Hospital in Accra was expected to handle the autopsies, but authorities cited the need for “more sophisticated forensic processes,” prompting the transfer.
Among the eight victims were prominent public figures, including the Minister for Defence, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, and the Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovations, Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed.
Also on board were Dr. Samuel Sarpong, Vice Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Samuel Aboagye, a former parliamentary candidate for ObuasiEast, and Alhaji Muniru Mohammed Limuna, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator.
The helicopter was being operated by three experienced Air Force personnel: Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flight Officer Manean Twum-Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah, all of whom perished in the crash.
In a solemn state ceremony on Thursday evening, the remains of the victims were flown to Accra’s Air Force Base under tight military escort.
The event was led by Chief of Staff Julius Debrah and attended by senior government officials, military top brass, and grieving relatives.
Coffins draped in the national flag were received with prayers and a minute of silence in an atmosphere of collective mourning.
President John Dramani Mahama has declared a three-day national mourning period from Thursday, with all flags flying at half-mast.
State functions have also been suspended for the remainder of the week.
