Helicopter Crash in Ghana Kills Two Ministers, Six Others
A tragic helicopter crash in Ghana has claimed the lives of eight people, including two senior government ministers. The crash occurred on Tuesday near the town of Manso-Nkwanta in the Ashanti region, according to local authorities. The aircraft was reportedly en route from the northern region to the capital, Accra, when it went down in a forested area.
Among the deceased were Ghana’s Minister of Defence, Dominic Aduna Bingab Nitiwul, and Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Kwaku Afriyie. Both ministers were part of an official delegation conducting environmental and security assessments in rural areas affected by illegal mining and deforestation.
Search Teams Recovered Bodies from Crash Site
Rescue teams and security forces were dispatched quickly after the aircraft lost contact with air traffic control. The wreckage was found hours later with no survivors. Preliminary reports suggest bad weather and low visibility may have contributed to the crash, but a full investigation is now underway.
The Ghana Armed Forces and Civil Aviation Authority have confirmed the fatalities and stated that the black box and flight recorder have been recovered. President Nana Akufo-Addo has declared a period of national mourning and expressed deep sorrow over the loss of key leaders.
Tributes Pour In, Investigation Launched
Messages of condolence have poured in from across the political spectrum, as well as from international allies. Both ministers were well-respected figures in the ruling New Patriotic Party and had played major roles in shaping Ghana’s environmental and national security policies.
The Ministry of Transport has formed a special investigation committee to determine the exact cause of the accident. Officials have said that all helicopters in government service will undergo technical checks as a precautionary measure.
This is one of the deadliest aviation accidents in Ghana in recent years and has raised questions about the safety of VIP government transport operations, especially in challenging terrain and weather conditions.
