Ghana’s Defence Minister, Edward Omane Boamah, and the Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, have died in a tragic military helicopter crash that occurred on Wednesday in the Ashanti region, Reuters has reported.

According to Julius Debrah, Chief of Staff to President John Mahama, the crash also claimed the lives of three other government officials and three Air Force personnel who were on board.

Speaking at a press conference, Debrah described the incident as a “national tragedy,” noting the immense loss to the country’s leadership and security apparatus.

“The president and government extend our condolences and sympathies to the families of our comrades and the servicemen who died in service to the country,” Debrah was quoted by Reuters.

Earlier, Ghana’s armed forces said radar contact had been lost with a Z9 air force helicopter.

The helicopter was carrying a total of eight people — three crew members and five passengers. Authorities have yet to release the identities of those on board or the specific purpose of the flight. Emergency responders are currently at the crash site, carrying out recovery operations.

The aircraft, a Z9 helicopter commonly used by the Ghana Air Force for transport and medical evacuation, was last tracked over an undisclosed location before communication with air traffic control was lost.

Although the exact cause of the crash remains unknown, early speculation suggests it may have been triggered by either a technical malfunction or poor weather conditions.