Former Air Force Officer Dismisses Sabotage Claims in Ghana Helicopter Crash
Former Ghana Air Force officer, Wing Commander Patrick Nelson Sogbodjor, has downplayed speculation that sabotage played a role in the recent Z-9 military helicopter crash, which claimed the lives of eight people, including cabinet ministers Dr. Edward Omane Boamah and Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed.
Speaking on The Key Points on TV3 on Saturday, August 9, Sogbodjor explained that the aircraft was stationed at a secure Air Force base, making unauthorised access extremely difficult.
“For anyone to sabotage it, they would need access to the base and the aircraft. That is not easy unless you are a trained technician — and even then, pre-flight checks would detect it,” he said.
He also dismissed claims that small arms fire could have brought down the Z-9, saying only a missile could achieve that — and there is no evidence of such an attack.
The black box from the helicopter has been recovered, but Sogbodjor noted that it cannot simply be opened for instant answers. Instead, it must be sent to the manufacturer, or their experts must travel to Ghana to decode its data. “Since both aircrew died, the only way to know what happened is to examine the black box, which records all parameters from take-off,” he added.
Addressing suggestions of poor weather conditions contributing to the crash in the Ashanti Region, he said visibility was not severe enough to ground the flight. He stressed that pilots receive up-to-date weather information and clearance before flying, and the Z-9 is capable of operating in all weather conditions, including at night, using instruments when visibility is poor.
The aircraft involved was a Chinese-made Z-9 utility helicopter, a variant of the French Eurocopter Dolphin, widely used for passenger transport, equipment carriage, search and rescue, and anti-submarine operations. While the Z-9 is considered modern and capable, Sogbodjor emphasised that no machine, regardless of sophistication, is immune to mechanical failure over time.
Please download our HOTDIGITAL ONLINE APP and follow HotDigital Online on our social media platforms to stay updated on our upcoming initiatives.
#HotDigitalHealthAwareness #CommunityHealth #GhanaNursesAssociationUK #HealthMatters #HotDigitalOnline #StrongerTogether
