The government has made public the findings from the helicopter crash which occurred on August 6 at Adansi, claiming the lives of eight gallant men, including Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Samuel Sarpong, who lost his life just hours after his appointment as Board Chairman-designate of the Cocoa Processing Company.

According to the investigative board’s report released on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, the crash was caused by a sudden loss of altitude and lift resulting from a downdraft.

“The investigation determined that the accident was caused by a sudden loss of altitude and lift due to a downdraft. This loss of altitude, without any change in power or pitch attitude, is consistent with downdrafts associated with changing environmental conditions over high terrain,” a member of the committee stated.

Speaking after the presentation of the report’s findings, a relative of Mr. Sarpong expressed his satisfaction with the committee's work, saying that the crash was caused by nature, which was beyond human control.

“We are very satisfied because, based on the briefing we received, we understand that this was an act of God. Nobody controls the weather except the Almighty, and for that matter, we have accepted it in good faith,” he said.

He added, “I believe strongly that, per the briefing we’ve had today, this will put all speculation to rest. Captain Forjoe took time to explain everything to us in detail, and even yesterday we had a closed-door briefing. We are okay; we have accepted everything and are very satisfied with the outcome.”

The committee, chaired by National Security Coordinator DCOP Abdul-Osman Razak, submitted its final report to the National Security Council on Monday, November 10, 2025.

The board comprised representatives from the Ghana Air Force and the Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation and Prevention Bureau (AIB-Ghana), with technical and advisory support from the United States Air Force.

The committee was aided by aviation experts from China as well as other relevant institutions in decoding the black box.

The helicopter crashed into a forested mountainside in Ghana’s Ashanti Region on August 6, 2025. All eight people on board, consisting of five passengers and three crew members, were killed.

In the early hours of Tuesday, November 11, it was widely reported that President Mahama had received the report from the committee tasked to conduct the probe into the crash.In August, the Ministry of Defence announced that it had officially begun a probe into the unfortunate incident, following the establishment of an investigative board.

The presentation of the report comes after the government, in early October, announced that the report on the probe into the crash would be made ready in two weeks from the 11th day of October. The investigation findings were presented to the National Security Council in November 2025. About a month later, the report has now been presented to the president.

The victims of the crash included Minister for Defence Dr. Edward Kofi Omane Boamah; Member of Parliament for Tamale Central and Minister for Environment, Science, and Technology Alhaji Dr. Murtala Mohammed; Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator Alhaji Muniru Mohammed Limuna; and Samuel Sarpong.

The others are Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Congress, Samuel Aboagye; Deputy Director-General of NADMO, Squadron Leader Peter Anala of the Ghana Air Force; Flying Officer Tsum Ampadu of the Ghana Air Force; and Sergeant Ernest Addo of the Ghana Air Force.

The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) reported that its Air Force helicopter Z9, which took off on August 6 at 0912 hrs from Accra and headed for Obuasi, was off the radar.

Hours later, Chief of Staff Julius Debrah confirmed the unfortunate demise of the eight individuals, comprising three crew and five passengers.

As part of the three-day national mourning, the "Evening of Reflections and Memorials" took place at the Forecourt of the State House on Saturday, August 9. The event was open to all Ghanaians, including the general public, friends, and family of the departed.

On the first day of mourning, which began Thursday, August 7, a public laying of flowers and lighting of candles at the Ceremonial Garden at the front of the Presidency took place to honour victims of the tragic GAF helicopter crash.

Members of the public, families, and friends were present. President John Dramani Mahama and Chief of Staff Julius Debrah shed tears while laying a wreath in honour of the eight victims.

The public laying of flowers and lighting of candles at the Ceremonial Garden at the front of the Presidency to honour victims of the tragic GAF helicopter crash continued on August 8. It was held at the Ceremonial Garden, Presidency.

This provided more time and space for citizens unable to attend Day 1 to pay their respects and join the national act of mourning. The samples of the remains of the deceased involved in the tragic Ghana Armed Forces helicopter crash in the Adansi Akrofuom District of the Ashanti Region on August 6 were transported to South Africa for DNA analysis to aid in their identification.

Per reports, the autopsy and identification procedures were to have been carried out by the 37 Military Hospital; however, the conditions of the bodies called for advanced forensic processes.

Member of Parliament for Tamale Central and Minister for Environment, Science, and Technology Alhaji Dr. Murtala Mohammed and Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator Alhaji Muniru Mohammed Limuna, two out of the eight who perished in the August 6 helicopter crash, were buried in accordance with Islamic tradition, custom, and practices.

They were buried following the arrival of the DNA results on Saturday, August 9. On Sunday, August 10, Muslim Jannaza prayers were offered at the Forecourt of the State House.

Following that, the deceased were buried at the Military Cemetery, Accra. The Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, led the prayers.

President Mahama later announced that he would set up a fund to cater for the families of the gallant men who lost their lives while serving the country.

He announced the creation of the fund during an address on Tuesday, August 12, while attending the funeral rites for the late Deputy National Security Coordinator, Alhaji Mohammed Muniru Limuna, which was held at Adenta, but officially announced it while speaking at the state funeral organised for the victims at Black Star Square on Friday, August 15. “At the funeral, we will announce a programme for creating a fund that will assist with the education of their children. Persons who want to contribute to the future of the children they've left behind would have the opportunity to do so.”

President Mahama emphasised the need to protect the victims’ dependents from hardship, specifically mentioning the two-month-old child of the military pilot, Peter Bafemi.

“It's a difficult calamity. Because if you look at all those who died, they were at the prime of their lives and had so much responsibility; children still in school, and some even with infants as young as two months.

"These responsibilities are what we have to take up to make sure that the absence of the parents does not adversely affect the innocent children,” he said.