Investigations into the Z-9 helicopter crash have officially begun, following the establishment of an investigative Board, as announced by the Ministry of Defence.
The Board is chaired by the National Security Coordinator, with membership drawn from the Ghana Air Force and the Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation and Prevention Bureau of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).
This was contained in a press statement issued by the Acting Defence Minister, Ato Forson.
“The Ministry of Defence hereby informs the public that the Investigation Board established to inquire into the recent Z-9 helicopter crash has formally commenced its work,” parts of the statement read.
According to the Ministry, “the United States of America is providing advice and assistance to the board through visiting investigators from the U.S. Air Force”.
Additionally, other relevant experts and institutions are expected to be called by the Board to aid with investigations.
On Friday, August 15, 2025, the government organized a State funeral to lay to rest six out of the eight victims of the Adansi helicopter crash.
The deceased included Dr. Edward Kofi Omane Boamah, Minister for Defence; Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed; Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator in charge of Human Security, Alhaji Muniru Limuna Mohammed; Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Congress, Samuel Sarpong; and Deputy Director-General of NADMO, Samuel Aboagye.
Others included Squadron Leader Peter Analaa of the Ghana Air Force, Flying Officer Tsum Ampadu of the Ghana Air Force, and Sergeant Ernest Addo of the Ghana Air Force.
Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed and Alhaji Muniru Limuna Mohammed, however, had been laid to rest earlier, on Sunday, August 10. Janazah prayers were held at the Forecourt of the State House in Accra before they were buried at the Military Cemetery in Tse Addo.
At the State burial, tributes were read by the bereaved families, who expressed the love, peace, and joy they shared while living with the deceased. President John Mahama, in his tribute, eulogized each of the victims, highlighting their contributions and outstanding qualities. “Each of these men had a story. Each had a family they cherished, a vision they pursued, and a heart that beat with love for Ghana,” the President said.
The solemn and heartwarming ceremony brought together families, friends, and mourners, as well as representatives of international organizations from far and near. After the interfaith service at the Black Star Square, the gathering proceeded to the Military Cemetery in Tse Addo, Greater Accra Region, where the burial took place. Taking turns, President Mahama, Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, the families of the deceased, the Ghana Armed Forces, government officials, members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), and other dignitaries laid wreaths in memory of the victims of the tragic incident.
Meanwhile, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has revealed that authorities in the United States of America have expressed readiness to assist the government of Ghana in investigating the Z9 Air Force helicopter crash of August 6, which claimed eight lives, including Ministers of State.
Speaking to the media on August 14, the Foreign Minister noted that the request was made following an order by His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama. “I can confirm to you that on the instruction of His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama, we have formally requested the Americans to come in and assist. We all know that they have considerable expertise when it comes to these matters, and so the indication we have received from the Americans is that they are very much willing to assist.”
The Minister further stated, “We are expecting the arrival of American experts soon to help us with the investigations.”
Emphasizing the need for independent expertise, Mr. Okudzeto Ablakwa explained that this was necessary to “ensure that the outcome of the investigations will be acceptable to all, so that there will also be confidence in the process.” He added, “It is important that this process is done in a very thorough manner, in a manner that will be at par with best practice, the international gold standard. That is what President Mahama wants us to achieve. So I can assure you that our note has long been issued.”
President John Mahama had earlier revealed that the flight data and cockpit voice recorders of the Z9 Air Force helicopter had been retrieved. He made this announcement during his national address on Thursday, August 7, a day after the incident.
The Ghana Armed Forces has already begun investigations into the crash, Deputy Minister for Defence Brogya Genfi disclosed on August 13. However, Minister Ablakwa did not specify the exact U.S. institution that had been contacted for assistance.
In the United States, the main authority responsible for investigating aircraft accidents is the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The NTSB is an independent federal agency mandated by Congress to investigate every civil aviation accident in the U.S. and significant events in other modes of transportation—railroad, transit, highway, marine, pipeline, and commercial space.
Since its establishment in 1967, the NTSB has investigated more than 153,000 aviation accidents and thousands of surface transportation events. Its mission is to determine probable causes, examine safety issues, and develop recommendations to prevent similar accidents in the future. To date, the Board has issued more than 15,500 safety recommendations to over 2,470 recipients, with an implementation rate of 82 percent for the more than 12,700 recommendations that have been closed.
In Ghana, the Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation and Prevention Bureau (AIB) is responsible for investigating plane crashes.
On July 6, 2020, former President Nana Akufo-Addo granted executive approval for the laying before Parliament of the Aircraft Accident Investigation and Prevention Bureau Bill, 2020. The bill sought to establish an autonomous Bureau to conduct investigations into aircraft accidents and incidents in line with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs).
According to the AIB, Article 26 of the Chicago Convention requires every state in which an aviation accident occurs to investigate the event. Furthermore, ICAO Annex 13 stipulates that such investigations must be conducted professionally, independently, and without bias.
The investigatory body, therefore, must not only have a legal mandate but also be well-structured, adequately resourced, and autonomous in its operations and findings. In 2019, when ICAO conducted a Validation Mission to assess Ghana’s level of Effective Implementation (EI) of its SARPs, Ghana obtained an impressive EI score of 89.89 percent.
