August 6 Helicopter Crash: Investigative Committee Details Harrowing Final Moments of Victims
- Government investigators shared details of the final moments of the eight people, including five senior officials, who died in the August 6 helicopter crash
- Captain (Retired) Paul Fordjoe stated that all eight victims perished after the aircraft suddenly lost altitude midair due to a violent downdraft over high terrain
- The victims of Ghana's worst air tragedy in over a decade included Defence Minister Edward Omane Boamah and Environment Minister Murtala Muhammed
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The committee investigating the August 6 helicopter crash has shared the harrowing final moments of all eight victims.
Source: TikTok
The government of Ghana shared the final details of the investigative report into the Obuasi helicopter crash on November 11, 2025.
According to the committee, the crash was caused by a sudden loss of altitude and lift due to a downdraft, and ruled out more fantastical causes such as a midair explosion.
Captain Paul Forjoe of the committee delivered the report, explaining that the loss of altitude without a change in power or pitch attitude was consistent with a downdraft associated with changing environmental conditions over high terrain.
National Security Coordinator, DCOP Abdul-Osman Razak, chaired the committee, which announced several safety recommendations to prevent future tragedies.
Below is a Facebook video with details of the final crash report.
Final moments of August 6 victims emerge
Captain Forjoe also shared more details of what happened in the final moments of the crash, which claimed the lives of five high-ranking government officials and three Ghana Air Force (GAF) officers.
Victims of the crash included Defence Minister Dr Edward Omane Boamah, Environment Minister Dr Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, Alhaji Limuna Muniru Mohammed, Dr Samuel Sarpong, and former NDC Obuasi East parliamentary candidate, Samuel Aboagye.
Three crew members also perished: Wing Commander Peter Baafemi Anala, Flight Lieutenant Manaen Twum Ampadu, and Flight Sergeant Ernest Addo-Mensah.
According to Captain Forjoe, the flight crew noticed terrain that they needed to elevate to cross, but the aircraft suddenly lost height and plunged to the ground.
The Twitter post with details of the final moments of the August 6 helicopter crash is below.
Details of the August 6 crash
On the morning of August 6, 2025, numerous high ranking government of Ghana officials and three crew members boarded a Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) Z-9 helicopter from Accra to Obuasi.
The officials, including two cabinet ministers, were scheduled to appear at the Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCoMSDEP) with the Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah.
Shortly after takeoff from Accra around 9:00 am local time, the helicopter disappeared off radar and was later confirmed to have crashed into the Sikaman Forest in the Adansi Afuokrom District of the Ashanti Region.
All eight people on board were killed, sparking a period of nationwide mourning. On August 15, a state funeral was held for the victims, whose remains were identified via DNA testing in South Africa.
Source: TikTok
Samuel Sarpong's family reacts to crash report
Previously, YEN.com.gh reported that Samuel Sarpong's family had reacted to the final report on the August 6 crash that was delivered on November 11.
In a video, a relative of the late former Kumasi Mayor expressed satisfaction with the findings made by the investigative committee into the helicopter crash.
Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
