Z-9 Helicopter Crash: 9 of 15 Rescuers Fail Medical Screening for Security Recruitment-MP

• Akrofuom MP Joseph Azumah explained why volunteers who helped rescue victims of the Z-9 military helicopter crash have not yet been recruited into Ghana's security services
• Only 6 of the 15 shortlisted rescuers passed their medical examinations, with others testing positive for Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and other conditions
• The MP said volunteers who failed the screening have been offered alternative options, including nominating a family member for recruitment

Volunteers who risked their lives during the Z-9 military helicopter crash rescue operation have found themselves at the centre of a delayed recruitment process, with nine of the 15 shortlisted candidates failing mandatory medical screening.

The Member of Parliament for Akrofuom, Joseph Azumah, addressed the matter in an interview on Obuasi-based Shaft FM, responding to growing frustration among the volunteers, who had begun to feel overlooked after receiving promises that their bravery would be rewarded with consideration for security service recruitment.

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In an August 19, 2026 report by Asaase Radio, Azumah was quick to clarify the nature of the arrangement, stressing that no official contract was ever signed between the volunteers and any government body.

"When the tragic incident occurred, nobody agreed with anybody. It was not a contract. It was voluntary work done, and this is part of Ghanaian culture," he said.

He explained that it was precisely because of their selfless conduct that authorities later chose to submit their names for consideration.

National Democratic Congress National Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketiah subsequently gave assurances that volunteers who met the requirements would be absorbed into the security services.

9 of 15 recruiters fail medical screening

As part of the process, 15 of the volunteers were taken to Kumasi for medical examinations.

When the results returned, only six candidates were cleared to proceed.

"When the results came, six out of 15 of them passed. The rest were diagnosed with Hepatitis B, scars, amputation, and Hepatitis C. And the report is there," Azumah stated.

For those who did not meet the medical threshold, the MP said they were not being abandoned.

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Options on the table include nominating a family member in their place for security recruitment or undergoing a second round of medical examinations in Accra.

Azumah also indicated that efforts were underway to connect the remaining volunteers with other livelihood support, adding, "I want to urge them to exercise restraint as I work to settle them."

The MP confirmed the volunteers were expected to travel to Accra on 24 August to continue advancing through the process.

Footage shows wreckage at helicopter crash site

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that a year after the deadly Z-9 helicopter crash in the Ashanti Region, footage from the site has emerged, showing parts of the aircraft still lying in the forest.

TV3 journalist Ibrahim Abubakar returned to the crash location on August 6, 2026, to mark the grim anniversary of the disaster, which occurred on the same date in 2025.

The video he shared on Instagram captured a group of locals who had hiked into the dense forest alongside him, some of whom were seen picking up and holding pieces of the wreckage they encountered along the way

Source: YEN.com.gh