Black Box of Crashed Military Helicopter Recovered – Ashanti Regional Minister Confirms
The Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene, has confirmed the successful recovery of the black box from the Ghana Armed Forces Z-9 helicopter that crashed in the Adansi Akrofuom District on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, claiming the lives of eight high-ranking government and military officials.
In a statement shared via Facebook on Thursday, August 7, Dr. Amoakohene described the development as a critical step toward uncovering the circumstances that led to what is now considered one of the most devastating aviation disasters in recent Ghanaian history.
“A team of military investigators has successfully located and retrieved the black box from the crash site. This marks significant progress in our efforts to determine the cause of the crash and ensure that such a tragedy does not recur,” Dr. Amoakohene stated.
The recovery operation was conducted by a combined team of officers from the Ghana Air Force and other military units. They were joined by local residents and the Assembly Member for the area, who provided guidance through the dense and rugged forest terrain where the aircraft went down.
The ill-fated military helicopter was reportedly en route to Obuasi to facilitate the official launch of the Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP) when it suddenly went off radar. Immediate search and rescue efforts were initiated, but all eight passengers on board were later confirmed dead.
Among the deceased were:
Dr. Edward Omane Boamah – Minister for Defence
Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed – Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation
Alhaji Limuna Muniru Mohammed – Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator
Mr. Samuel Aboagye – National Vice Chairman of the NDC and former Parliamentary Candidate
Dr. Samuel Sarpong – Senior Advisor and former Ashanti Regional Minister
Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala – Pilot
Flying Officer Manin Twum-Ampadu – Co-pilot
Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah – Flight engineer
Military and aviation authorities say the data retrieved from the black box will be analysed in collaboration with international aviation experts to reconstruct the events leading up to the crash.
Meanwhile, samples of the remains of the victims have been flown to South Africa for DNA analysis to aid in their identification, as Ghana continues a period of national mourning with tributes pouring in from across the political divide and civil society.
