Two People Reported Dead in Helicopter Crash Near East Alton, Illinois
- Two people have been reported dead after a helicopter crashed into a barge on the Mississippi River in the US
- The crash occurred on August 7, 2025, near East Alton, Illinois, when the aircraft reportedly hit a power line
- Ghana encountered a similar tragedy on Wednesday, August 6, when eight people died while flying to Obuasi
Two people have been reported dead after a helicopter crash in the United States of America.
Source: Getty Images
The crash occurred on Thursday, August 7, 2025, a day after a similar crash killed eight people in Ghana.
Five civilians and three military officers died in the helicopter crash, which happened in the Sikaman Forest in the Adansi Akuofrom District of the Ashanti Region.
The group were travelling to Obuasi for an anti-galamsey event.
Fatalities included the Minister for Defence, Dr Edward Omane Boamah, and the Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed.
Helicopter crashes in the Mississippi River
According to reports, a helicopter crashed into a barge in the Mississippi River near the village of East Alton in Illinois.
CBS News reported that the helicopter crash occurred after the aircraft ran into a power line around 11 am.
Cpl. Dallas Thompson of the Missouri State Highway Patrol confirmed the crash and said there was no one on the barge at the time of the incident, limiting possible fatalities.
Source: Facebook
A witness, Adam Briggs, who was fishing at the time, said the helicopter crew were working on the power lines when the accident occurred.
“The helicopter was just working on these power lines; it hit the power line, blew up. There was a pilot, there was a worker; the helicopter blew up and fell and crashed the barge and it’s exploding right now,” he said, according to the Guardian.
A video of the accident surfaced online, showing the smoke rising from the barge in the aftermath of the crash.
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The Instagram video is below.
The helicopter was from the American power company Ameren, who released a statement in the aftermath of the tragedy.
"Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with the victims’ families and colleagues,” a spokesperson said.
Ghanaians react to East Alton helicopter crash
YEN.com.gh compiled some comments from Ghanaians reacting to the helicopter crash in the USA, in the context of the recent Obuasi tragedy.
impero_mnkq said:
"God we are sorry."
kwaku.156 wrote:
"At the beginning of this year, Apostle Amoako Attah said it and we didn't take it seriously 😢."
black.god_ferry commented:
"Signs aliens are approaching Earth."
Flying Doctors plane crashes in Kenya
Previously, YEN.com.gh reported that a plane crashed into into a building in the early afternoon of Thursday, August 7, 2025, claiming at least six lives.
According to reports, the AMREF Flying Doctors aircraft reportedly exploded on impact, engulfing parts of the area in flames and smoke as residents fled.
In videos trending on social media, eyewitnesses described chaotic scenes as people rushed to salvage belongings from homes struck by the wreckage.
Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
