Ghana has been thrown into mourning following the tragic deaths of two government ministers and six others in a helicopter crash in the southern Ashanti region on Wednesday.
According to the Chief of Staff to the Ghanaian President, Defense Minister Edward Omane Boamah and Environment Minister Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed were among the eight individuals who lost their lives in the crash.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Ghana Armed Forces reported that contact had been lost with a Z9 military helicopter en route from the capital, Accra, to the mining town of Obuasi. The aircraft was carrying five passengers and three crew members.
In a video statement, Chief of Staff Julius Debrah confirmed the fatalities and announced that national flags would be flown at half-mast until further notice in honor of the deceased.
“This is a tragic day for Ghana. Our hearts go out to the families of those who have lost their lives in this devastating accident,” Debrah stated.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
Correction: This story has been updated to reflect the correct total death toll.