The Ghana Gas Company has assured residents of Bonsukrom in the Western region and the operational staff of the company to remain calm, indicating that the emergency landing incident of the Air Force helicopter would not affect their operations.
An amateur video shared on X (formerly Twitter) showed the helicopter hovering over the area for some time in an attempt to find a suitable site for an emergency landing, but it lost its balance and crashed into nearby trees.
A statement from Ghana Gas dated Tuesday, March 19, and signed by the Head of Corporate Communications, Ernest Kofi Owusu-Bempah Bonsu said, “The Ghana Airforce emergency response was activated earlier today during a routine inspection of our onshore and offshore gas pipeline right of way”.
The statement added that “on board were 14 Ghana Gas personnel, 6 Airforce crew members and 1 other service provider”.
According to the company, the emergency landing occurred as a result of bad weather conditions.
Aircraft believed to belong to the Ghana Armed Forces crashes in Western region
It, however, stressed that “all passengers on board have been accounted for and there were no fatalities. However, crew members are currently undergoing routine medical checkup”.
“While assuring members of the public and our operational staff at Atuabo to remain calm, we want to assure the general public that the incident will not affect our operations”, the statement concluded.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) in a separate statement on the incident confirmed that a Ghana Air Force helicopter with registration number GHF 696 at about 1230 hours on Tuesday 19 March 2024 made an emergency landing within the general areas of Bonsukrom near Agona Nkwanta in the Western Region.
The GAF said, “The helicopter, which had on board 21 passengers made up of staff of the Ghana National Gas Company and aircrew, was conducting routine offshore powerline inspections of the Atuabo gas plant when the incident occurred.
“All passengers on board have been accounted for and there were no fatalities,” the statement added.
According to reports, this incident drew a large gathering of residents to the spot.
However, security forces attempted to keep the crowd at bay while passengers were transported to the hospital for treatment.
One of the injured is being sent to Korle Bu Teaching Hospital for emergency medical care, according to reports.
Find the Ghana Gas statement below:
By Emmanuel Kwarteng
