GAF denies alleged plane crash on Tuesday

The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has confirmed that two fuel tanks of the Airforces’ K8 jet trainers fell off the aircraft around Adenta during a routine training flight on Tuesday morning and not a plane crash as alleged.

The Director of Public Affairs of GAF, Colonel M’Bawine Atintande, told GNA in an interview that the cause of the mishap could not be immediately ascertained until investigation into the matter was carried out and said no casualty or loss to property was recorded.

The K8 is advanced jet trainer jointly designed and produced by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) and China's Nanchang Aircraft Manufacturing Company (NAMC).

Ghana acquired four of the jets as a trade-off for the controversial Gulfstream Presidential aircraft.

Col. Atintande said the aircraft that originally had four fuel tanks, could be fitted with two additional tanks for longer range endurance flights, stating that it was those two additional tanks that fell of the platform during the training exercise.

The aircraft had since returned to the Accra Air Force Base without damage to the equipment and the fuel tanks had been recovered by personnel of GAF.

The GAF, he said would issue a statement on the issue.**