Several eyewitnesses have recounted the horrifying scenes following Wednesday morning’s fatal military helicopter crash that claimed the lives of eight people.

One eyewitness, a farmer who was working on his land at the time, told the media that he heard a loud noise just before the aircraft went down.

“I was on my farm when I heard the sound of a helicopter. It was so loud and flying quite low. Moments later, I heard a big bang. I rushed to the scene and saw the wreckage. The passengers were burnt beyond recognition,” he said.

Another eyewitness in the community said the helicopter appeared to be flying unusually low, beneath power poles, shortly before it crashed.

“Less than a minute after we saw it, the crash happened. We rushed to the scene and met two other people already there, but there was nothing we could do. The bodies were burning. The weather was poor that morning, and we had gathered at the community center to play a game when we noticed the aircraft. I thought it was trying to land because it was so low. Then came the explosion. We saw four bodies burning, and later a fifth. The helicopter was completely scattered”, he stated.

Defence Minister Dr Omane Boamah, Dr Murtala Mohammed and others dead

A third eyewitness, who was also working on a nearby farm, said he and a colleague heard the crash and immediately decided to go to the scene, believing someone might need help.

“We had seen the helicopter pass earlier, so when we heard the loud noise, we knew something had gone wrong. On our way, we met our brother and asked him to guide us there. The forest was dense, and it wasn’t easy getting to the scene, but when we did, everything had already been burnt. The helicopter had hit a tree, which fell and exploded. We couldn’t recognise anyone because of the fire. So, we called the assembly man to inform him about the accident,” he recounted.

According to the witnesses, the impact of the crash and the resulting fire left the victims beyond identification.

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Among the deceased are the Minister of Defence, Dr Edward Omane Boamah, and the Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, Dr Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed.

The Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, at a press conference in Accra, announced the tragic news and directed that all national flags be flown at half-mast in honour of the victims.

Other victims include Muniru Mohammed, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator; Samuel Aboagye, a former Parliamentary Candidate; and Samuel Sarpong, a Vice Chairman of the NDC.

The crew members who perished were Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Mane-Twum Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah.

As the eyewitness account highlights, finding the aircraft amid the chaos and devastation was a daunting task for responders and local residents.

MRA/AE

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