A local farmer, identified as Mr. Apenteng, has shared a deeply emotional account of the tragic military helicopter crash that killed eight individuals, including two government ministers, near his farm in the Ashanti Region.
Speaking in an interview on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen, Mr. Apenteng described the anguish of witnessing the aftermath of the crash, which occurred in a remote forested area bordering his farmland.
He explained that he was among the first to be alerted after the aircraft went down. Without hesitation, he and a group of others rushed through the dense forest in hopes of offering help.
But their efforts were hindered by difficult terrain, including thick vegetation, rocky outcrops, and a deep gully that made access extremely challenging.
“That place is not somewhere you’d go unless something serious happened. When we finally reached the site, it was already too late. The damage was beyond what we could handle,” he said.
Mr. Apenteng recalled the heart-wrenching realization that even if any of the victims had survived the crash, rescuers would still have struggled to reach them in time due to the isolation of the location.
Describing the emotional toll, he said, “I’ve felt pain before—when I lost my mother and a sibling—but what I saw shook me more than anything else. I’ve never even witnessed a car accident before. After leaving the scene, I had to drink alcohol just to settle my nerves.”
In a moment of solemn reflection, he revealed that he took a fragment of the wreckage home—not as a souvenir, but as a cautionary symbol.
“I want to keep it as a reminder, to tell my children and family what happened there. If any of them ever dreams of becoming a pilot, I will show them this and tell them to think again.”
Mr. Apenteng admitted that the tragedy has left deep psychological scars, stating he is unsure whether he will ever fully recover.
He further revealed that he provided about 10 sacks, which were used to pack the remains of the victims.
The incident, which occurred on Wednesday, August 6, while the aircraft was en route from Accra to Obuasi, claimed the lives of all on board, including Ghana’s Minister for Defence, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, and Minister for Environment, Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed.
Source: Gertrude Otchere
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