On Monday morning, a Volta River Aviation helicopter (registration 9G-AFW) was forced to make an emergency landing at Ampekrom, a suburb of Nkawkaw in Ghana’s Eastern Region. The aircraft, which was travelling from Accra to Kumasi, encountered severe weather conditions that significantly reduced visibility, prompting the pilot to make a precautionary landing to ensure the safety of all on board.
According to a local eyewitness, the helicopter briefly passed over a nearby school before circling back to land in a safer location, avoiding any potential risk to students.
The helicopter was carrying four occupants, including two foreigners, and all emerged uninjured from the incident.
This emergency landing comes just days after a similar event involving another helicopter (registration 9G-ADW) at the Presby School Park in Ajumako Kokoben. In that earlier case, poor visibility and turbulent winds forced the pilot to land in the community school park. The aircraft remained grounded for more than three hours before weather conditions improved enough to continue its journey.
These incidents follow a tragic military helicopter crash on August 6 in Adansi Akrofuom in the Ashanti Region, which claimed eight lives, including two cabinet ministers, three government officials, and three crew members.
