By: Benjamin Nii Nai Anyetei
Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), Lieutenant General William Agyapong, has described last week’s military helicopter crash recovery as one of the fastest and most complex missions in Ghana’s history.
Speaking at Burma Camp in Accra, the CDS recounted that rescue teams were mobilised within 30 minutes of detecting distress signals from the aircraft, which went down on 6 August 2025, claiming the lives of two Cabinet ministers, senior officers, and crew members.
According to Lieutenant General William Agyapong, the crash site was located over 800 metres above sea level in treacherous mountainous terrain, with extreme heat and hazardous conditions. Despite these challenges, the recovery team chose not to delay retrieval of the remains, citing the need to preserve their dignity.
The CDS revealed that both the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder were recovered intact and are now part of the ongoing investigation. He stressed that responsible public communication was essential to counter speculation and misinformation surrounding the tragedy.
Lt. Gen. Agyapong further disclosed that the remains were transported to Accra within 10 hours, an unprecedented feat for such difficult terrain thanks to the coordination between ground forces and air support.
The Ghana Armed Forces has also dismissed claims that body bags were unavailable at the scene of the crash, which claimed eight lives, including three military personnel. The clarification was made on Wednesday, 13 August 2025, during a visit by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) to the CDS’s office at Burma Camp.
“We had some body bags at the scene, but the remains were so heated and not conducive for the bags to be used. It was in a thick forest, and it was getting late. We had the option of leaving the remains there until the following day, but we knew what would have happened to the bodies” he said.
He explained, adding that challenging conditions made the use of body bags impossible. He acknowledged that the urgency of the situation may have led to deviations from standard practice. “Let me say that all these things were done hurriedly. There might have been some mistakes. In the morning when the aircraft was taking off, nobody expected any such disaster. From the crash to Accra, it is possible, likely that some things were done that were not in conformity with our culture,” he admitted.
He expressed gratitude to all units involved in the mission, adding that the lessons learned would help strengthen Ghana’s emergency response protocols in the future. He also confirmed that the date for a formal public briefing on the crash will be communicated in due course.
The government declared a three-day national mourning period, which included a flower-laying ceremony from August 7 and a memorial service held on August 9.
A state funeral for the victims will be held on Friday, August 15, 2025, at the Black Star Square in Accra.
