As the nation mourns the loss of eight gallant men in the August 6, 2025, Adansi Akrofuom helicopter crash, memories of a similar tragedy that struck Ghana’s Air Force more than two decades ago are resurfacing.
On Saturday, March 16, 2002, seven men aboard an Agusta Bell 412 helicopter lost their lives when the aircraft crashed in the Atewa Forest during a return trip to Accra. The helicopter had been on a medical evacuation mission, transporting two patients from Nkawkaw to the Air Force Base in Accra.
It took rescuers three days of searching before the burnt remains of the crew and passengers were found in the dense forest.
The victims were:
- Wing Commander Ben Acheampong, pilot
- Flt Lt S. Lartey, co-pilot
- Corporal Joseph Bosomefi, technician
- Corporal Emmanuel Yao Akoensi, technician
- Corporal Frederick Adu-Buxton, patient
- George Debrah, patient
- Victor Nyarko, nurse
Their deaths shook the Ghana Armed Forces and the nation at large.
Burial at Osu Military Cemetery
A state burial was later held at the Osu Military Cemetery in Accra for the five military personnel who perished. The solemn ceremony was attended by several dignitaries, including then Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama, Ministers of State, and a Togolese delegation led by Defence Minister Brigadier General Asani Tidjani.
The atmosphere was one of deep grief, with mourners wailing uncontrollably as caskets draped in the national flag were carried to their final resting place. Fifteen wreaths were laid, including one from the then Minister of Information and Presidential Affairs, Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, on behalf of the Commander-in-Chief and the people of Ghana.
Parallels with 2025 Tragedy
Although the circumstances of the 2002 Atewa crash and the 2025 Adansi Akrofuom crash differ, both disasters have left scars on the nation. With high-ranking officials among the recently deceased, Ghana is once again reminded of the dangers faced by those who serve.
Two decades on, the names of Acheampong, Lartey, Bosomefi, Akoensi, Adu-Buxton, Debrah, and Nyarko must never be forgotten.
