Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has recounted a harrowing flight experience he had in 2007 from his presidency in light of the recent helicopter crash in Ghana that claimed the lives of eight persons.
He says he narrowly escaped a potential plane crash over the Sahara Desert during an official visit to Lybia.
Kufuor says he was travelling with an entourage of 12 to 16 people from Tripoli, the Libyan capital, to Khartoum, the capital of Sudan.
During an interview on Angel TV Thursday, August 7, 2025, the former President said: “I remember that sometime in 2007, had it not been for God’s intervention, I would have been involved in a plane crash over the Sahara Desert.”
He recalled that the flight they were on struggled to gain altitude few moments it took off after his meeting with the late Muammar Gaddafi.
“All of a sudden, over the desert, the plane could not ascend. It had become heavy, and for almost 30 minutes, it refused to gain altitude. When you looked down, all you could see was the desert. Eeeii! What was about to happen to us here?” he reflected.
To make matters worse, the former President noted that the flight crew refused to communicate to them, leaving them more anxious with the unsettling atmosphere. “The pilot remained silent, not communicating anything to us.”
He recalled that the flight attendants began moving luggage closer to their seats as passengers grew uneasy, further intensifying their fears. The pilot, according to Kufuor, diverted the plane’s direction towards the Mediterranean Sea.
“The plane managed to manoeuvre and made a turn to align over the Mediterranean Sea, although it was still struggling to fly at a higher altitude for nearly an hour before we finally landed in Tripoli,” he revealed.
He said the gravity of the situation was confirmed after they landed, when emergency fire tenders and security vehicles raced across the tarmac.
“As we were landing, we noticed fire tenders and security vehicles speeding across the airport tarmac. That was when the pilot confirmed that the plane couldn’t fly any higher, so he had to return to Tripoli,” he said, reflecting on the chaos and concern surrounding their arrival.
The former president candidly acknowledged the risks associated with diplomatic travel, stating, “I have witnessed something like this before.”
Kufuor stated that the delegation had to spend their night in Tripoli before arrangement was made for them to continue their journey to Sudan the next day.
Kufuor’s story, in the midst of the recent helicopter crash, serves as a reminder of the dangers associated with air travels, especially during official duties, showing the vulnerabilities faced by those in public service.
His experience underscores the importance of safety protocols and communication during flights.
GAF Helicopter crash: We share your pain, your loss is our loss – Mahama tells families of victims
