The charred bodies of seven people on board a Ghana Air Force helicopter which crashed on Saturday has been found by the “Operation Avenger” search team about 15 kilometres into the Atiwa Forest from Sagyimase near Kyebi in the Eastern Region. “Operation Avenger”, which was launched on Saturday as a search and rescue operation, was downgraded to a search and salvage exercise when neither the helicopter nor any survivor among the seven passengers had been sighted after a 40-hour search.
The discovery of the badly damaged aircraft, with parts scattered over a distance of about 50 metres, was a virtual accident.
The leader of the operation, Brigadier J. B. Danquah, who is the General Officer Commanding the Southern Command, had asked one of the rescue helicopters to fly a team of the Daily Graphic and GTV newsmen to be acquainted with the difficult terrain in order to understand the problem.
While in the air, the co-pilot sighted a metal with yellow inscription over an area where the otherwise heavy forest canopy had been broken and a number of trees cut from the top.
When the team landed, they briefed the Chief of Defence Staff, Lt General Seth Obeng, who had arrived at the operation base of ‘Operation Avenger’ at Bomaa. The CDS immediately boarded another helicopter to survey the place. After he had confirmed the position of the wreckage, he dispatched two platoons to locate the area on the ground.
Later, he and the GOC, Southern Command and Airforce Commander, Air Vice Marshall E. Mantey followed up as the helicopter guided them through the dense forest to the site. A group of volunteers and some soldiers sighted the wreckage and called on others for assistance.
It was a horrifying scene as the broken helicopter parts was scattered in the area with the uniforms of the pilots also scattered and torn.
Apparently, the aircraft had hit one of the tall trees in the Atiwa Range and in the process, the powerful wings had cut off a number of trees leading to the loud explosion local residents claimed to have heard. A leg of one of the victims was found about 40 metres from where the charred bodies were strapped into the main body of the aircraft.
The two patients who were being evacuated when the accident occured still had their rubber tubes stuck in their noses. The other bodies were badly burnt. The fire from the burning aircraft was, however, contained in the limited space, which explained why nobody saw the smoke.
The rescue team involved 32 officers and 598 men from the Ghana Armed Forces, three officers and 52 men from the Police Service, one officer and seven men from the Ghana National Fire Service and 210 civilian volunteers from the communities.
The bodies of the victims have been conveyed to the 37 Military Hospital while the wreckage, according to Military sources, would be handled later.
None of the victims has as yet been identified. Military sources said by military tradition, the families of the victims have to be informed before their identities are made public. The CDS commended the chiefs and people of the area for their assistance.
