GAF Helicopter Crash: Sergeant in Incident Married a Month Ago, Wedding Photo Surfaces

• The demise of eight people who lost their lives in the tragic Ghana Armed Forces helicopter crash has thrown the country into a state of mourning
• A sergeant who was among the team tied the knot a few weeks ago, leaving many concerned about his wife
• In an exclusive interview with YEN.com.gh, a Ghanaian counsellor gave insights into the matter

A devastating Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) helicopter crash has claimed the lives of eight people, including two prominent Ghanaian politicians.

The incident also claimed the lives of three army personnel, namely: Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Manin Twum-Ampadu and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah.

One of the three officers, Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah, married just a month ago and has left behind his young wife, Mrs Addo Mensah.

They reportedly tied the knot on July 5, 2025. A photo of their wedding has surfaced on social media, breaking hearts.

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GAF helicopter travelling to Obuasi goes missing

A Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) helicopter travelling to Obuasi in the Ashanti Region has gone missing.

The Ghana Armed Forces confirmed the disappearance and said efforts were underway to find the Helicopter.

A statement from the Ghana Army said eight people were on board the helicopter. That included three crew members and five passengers. There are fears the Helicopter has crashed.

The presidency addressed a press conference on the matter amid speculation that some high-level government appointees were involved in the crash.

The Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, confirmed that all eight people on board the flight had perished, breaking the hearts of many.

See the wedding photo of the late Sergeant below:

Top NDC politicians weep after passing of eight

The death of the team travelling to Obuasi broke the hearts of many on social media. Some top National Democratic Congress (NDC) politicians were visibly distraught over the occurrence. They were captured wearing sad looks, and weeping after the passing of their colleagues was announced.

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Watch the video of Muntaka Mubarak weeping after the press conference on August 6, 2025:

The government has directed that all flags must fly at half-mast following the incident.

Watch the video of the Sergeant and his wife exchanging vows:

Counsellor advises widow on how to handle grief

Speaking exclusively to YEN.com.gh, a Ghanaian counsellor, Seyram Avortri, expressed his views on the matter.

"This is heartbreaking, and I offer my sincere condolences; however, she can manage her emotions from the loss this way. It is essential to affirm her feelings of anger, pain, disbelief, perhaps even survivor’s guilt. These are all natural responses to sudden loss. I also encourage her to connect with trusted family, close friends, and colleagues. Sharing grief often alleviates feelings of isolation. She should also seek grief counselling or peer support groups for widows or families of fallen service personnel for communal healing," he said.

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Ghanaians sympathise with the Sergeant's wife

Netizens who saw the wedding photos of the Sergeant and his wife were heartbroken and expressed their views in the comments section.

@Atongo4gh wrote:

"Very very sad. May their souls rest in perfect peace."

@Doriginalsource wrote:

"May the souls of all those who perished rest in absolute perfect peace 🙏🏽."

@Iamviscous wrote:

"Oh oh how will the wife feel right now 💔😭😭."

@HyperGist_ wrote:

"I feel so bad for the wife."

Mahama declares 3 days of national mourning

In a related development, YEN.com.gh reported that three days of national mourning have been declared following the military helicopter crash that killed eight people.

All official activities and engagements of the president for the remainder of the week have been suspended. All national flags are flown at half-mast until further notice following the crash, which occurred in the Adansi Akrofuom district.

Source: YEN.com.gh