Two Ghanaian ministers and six other people have died in a military helicopter crash in the central Ashanti region, a Ghanaian spokesman has said.
Defence Minister Edward Omane Boamah and Environment, Science and Technology Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed were killed in the crash, which is described by Ghanaian Chief of Staff Julius Debrah as a “national tragedy.”
Prior to the incident, the Ghana Armed Forces said the helicopter, which was carrying three crew members and five passengers, had gone “off the radar.”
It had taken off from the capital, Accra, at 09:12 local time (and GMT) and was heading to the town of Obuasi for an event to tackle illegal mining.
Although authorities have not confirmed the cause of the crash yet, the chief of staff has directed the country’s flags to fly at half-mast.
On behalf of President John Dramani Mahama and the government, he extended condolences to “the servicemen who died in service to the country. ”
Ghana’s Deputy National Security Coordinator and former Agriculture Minister, Alhaji Muniru Mohammed, was also among the dead, along with Samuel Sarpong, Vice-Chairman of the governing National Democratic Congress party.
The crew members were named as Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Manin Twum-Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah.
AFP quoted Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu as saying President Mahama was feeling “down, down emotionally.”
