Ghana holds state funeral for 8 helicopter crash victims

Ghana has bid a final farewell to the eight victims of one of the country's worst air disasters in more than a decade.

The tragedy occurred when a military helicopter carrying senior government officials and crew vanished from radar shortly after taking off from the capital, Accra. On board were Defense Minister Edward Omane Boamah, Environment Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, four other passengers, and two crew members. The aircraft was en route to the gold-mining town of Obuasi in the Ashanti Region when it went down, killing all eight.

At a national memorial service, President John Dramani Mahama paid tribute to the victims and pledged support for their families.

“I would like today to announce the government's decisions to honour the service of these individuals and secure the futures of those they left behind,” he said. “I humbly request the spirit of compassion that is the hallmark of our nation for these bereaved families.”

The cause of the crash remains under investigation. However, heavy fog was reported in the area at the time the helicopter disappeared. The aircraft’s black boxes have been recovered from the crash site and are being analyzed by aviation authorities to determine what went wrong.

The loss has sent shockwaves through the country, with tributes pouring in from across the political spectrum. Flags flew at half-mast nationwide as Ghanaians paused to remember the lives lost in this devastating incident.