According to the Ghanaian armed forces, the aircraft, carrying five passengers and three crew members, went missing from radar shortly after it took off from the capital Accra at 9:12 a.m. local time. It was heading to Obuasi, a gold mining town, when contact was lost.

A rescue team later discovered the wreckage in a remote area of Adansi Akrofuom. Photos from the site showed the charred remains of the helicopter scattered across the ground. The cause of the crash has not yet been determined.

President John Mahama has cancelled all official engagements and ordered national flags to be flown at half-mast. Chief of Staff Julius Debra described the incident as a “national tragedy” and extended condolences to the families of the victims, saying they died “in service of the nation.”

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