On August 6, 2025, a Ghana Air Force Harbin Z-9 military helicopter crashed into a forested mountainside in the Ashanti Region while en route to an event focused on tackling illegal mining in Obuasi. All eight people onboard died in the crash, including Ghana's Minister of Defence Edward Omane Boamah and Minister for Environment Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, as well as other top government officials and three air force crew members.
The helicopter had taken off from Kotoka International Airport in Accra and lost radar contact shortly after departure. The wreckage was found burnt beyond recognition, and the cause of the crash remains under investigation, with possibilities including adverse weather or technical failure.
In response, President John Mahama declared three days of national mourning, with flags flown at half-mast, and government officials visited families of the victims. The crash is considered one of Ghana's worst air disasters in over a decade.
The tragic loss has elicited condolences nationally and internationally, including from the United Nations, the African Union, and foreign governments.