Ghana Government Formally Requests Help From the USA To Probe Obuasi Helicopter Crash
- The government of Ghana has officially invited experts from the USA to aid the investigation into the August 6 helicopter crash that killed eight people
- Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa announced in an interview that the experts have expressed their willingness to help lead the investigation
- Ghana suffered its worst air tragedy in over a decade when a military helicopter crashed into the Sikaman Forest in the Ashanti region
- In a chat with YEN.com.gh, journalist Stella Annan addressed the decision to invite foreign experts to aid the helicopter crash investigation
The government of Ghana have invited foreign experts to help probe the helicopter crash that killed eight people near Obuasi.
Source: Facebook
Five government functionaries and three military personnel were killed when a Ghana Air Force helicopter they were travelling in crashed in the Ashanti Region.
Notable victims included the Defence Minister Edward Omane Boamah and the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed.
The circumstances of the crash have led to a public outcry for answers, putting pressure on authorities to fully uncover the cause of the crash.
Ghana requests US assistance in helicopter probe
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has confirmed that the government has requested assistance from the United States.
In a video seen by YEN.com.gh, Okudzeto Ablakwa said President John Mahama had directed that a team from the United States be invited to help investigate the crash.
Source: TikTok
Ablakwa said the invite had been sent and the Americans had expressed their willingness to help.
“On the instruction of His Excellency, President John Dramani Mahama, we have formally requested the Americans to come and assist. We all know that they have considerable expertise when it comes to these matters. The indication we have received from the Americans is that they are very much willing to assist,” he said.
Okudzeto added that bringing in independent experts was also meant as a way to ensure the results of the crash investigation would be acceptable to all.
“We think that it's important to bring in independent experts and to ensure that the outcome of the investigation would be acceptable to all.”
The TikTok video of Okudzeto Ablakwa speaking about the helicopter crash investigation is below.
The Minister also said the Chinese manufacturers of the Z-9 helicopter are expected to assist in the investigation.
Speaking with YEN.com.gh, Ghanaian journalist Stella Annan described the decision to invite foreign experts as welcome but called on the government to improve local capacity.
"Though the experts from the United States coming in to investigate will bring some closure to the family and the nation at large as to what caused the unfortunate incident, this is a clarion call to the government that our emergency response state agencies and forensic investigations experts need to be better equipped. This will better prepare them to carry out such investigations as a means to cut our dependence on foreign help," she said.
Ghanaians react to helicopter crash investigation update
YEN.com.gh compiled some comments reacting to Okudzeto Ablakwa's announcement that foreign experts would assist in the Z-9 crash investigation.
Nana 2024 said:
"Why America instead of Russia?"
King B wrote:
"Cedi dey beat dollar and you want America to do wetin?😂😂"
Onua commented:
"The crash scene is now heavily contaminated."
KD said:
"M.I.S.T.A.K.E. This will lead to Trump coming to Ghana later, and then doom will start. Russia could have been the best decision. I hope you won't sell out information about Burkina Faso; you should be sensitive as the Foreign Affairs Minister. Hmmm."
Mass vigil held for helicopter crash victims
Previously, YEN.com.gh reported that a mass vigil was held for Dr Edward Omane Boamah and Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, two victims of the August 6 crash.
The vigil was held at the Christ the King Church in Accra on Thursday, August 14, 2025.
Dr Omane Boamah's children appeared together at the vigil and shared a touching tribute to their late father.
Source: YEN.com.gh
