Two Ghanaian ministers die in helicopter crash, along with six others

Ghana’s ministers of defence and environment have died in a military helicopter crash in the Ashanti region, along with six other people, a government spokesperson says.

Earlier, the Ghana Armed Forces said the aircraft, which was carrying three crew and five passengers had gone “off the radar”.

It had taken off from the capital, Accra, at 09:12 local time (and GMT) and was heading to the gold-mining town of Obuasi for a national event.

The authorities have not confirmed the cause of the crash.

Chief of Staff Julius Debrah, who addressed the nation, has directed the country’s flags to fly at half-mast.

Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.

Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on X to get the latest alerts.

BBC Africa podcasts