By Ashiadey Dotse
The President of the Ghana Academy of Forensic Sciences, Dr Pet-Paul Wepeba, has criticised sections of the media for sharing images and videos from the recent helicopter crash in the Ashanti Region, which claimed the lives of eight Ghanaians.
Speaking in an interview on GTV’s Breakfast Show on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, Dr Wepeba said it was ethically wrong for both members of the public and some media houses to circulate such graphic visuals. He stressed that crash scenes should not be treated as “holiday destinations” where people take pictures and videos for entertainment.
According to him, such actions risk causing further trauma to bereaved families and can also compromise investigations. He explained that in standard practice, accident or crime scenes should be divided into “hot, cold, and outer zones,” with a designated family liaison officer responsible for relaying verified information to relatives and the public.
Dr Wepeba emphasised that proper training for first responders is crucial so they can secure accident sites and handle victims’ remains respectfully and professionally. He also noted that Ghana’s forensic capacity needs improvement, especially in areas like DNA analysis and the handling of human remains, to avoid delays in victim identification.
The August 6 helicopter crash in Adansi in the Ashanti Region led to the deaths of eight Ghanaian officials, resulting in national mourning. Samples for DNA testing were sent to South Africa due to the urgency of the situation and the need for specialised equipment not fully available in Ghana.
Dr Wepeba called for lessons to be learned from the tragedy, urging the media and public to respect the dignity of victims and their families in future incidents.
