The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has confirmed that two people died when a helicopter crashed into a preschool in Tema on Monday afternoon, but no pupils or staff were injured.
According to GNFS Head of Public Relations, DO II Desmond Ackah, the incident occurred around 14:59 when a helicopter with registration number G9-ADV crash-landed into TMA Daycare, Site 18, Tema Community.
Speaking on The Pulse on JoyNews, Mr. Ackah said firefighters responded immediately after receiving the distress call.
“This afternoon around 14:59, we had this unfortunate report that a helicopter with registration number G9-ADV crash-landed into a school,” he said. “Emergency teams were dispatched immediately and arrived within minutes.”
He explained that by the time responders reached the scene, the school had already evacuated staff and students, preventing casualties inside the facility. “The good news is that the preschool into which the helicopter crashed, we didn’t have any casualties,” he added.
However, the two people on board the helicopter did not survive. “When it crashed, unfortunately, the two persons on board passed on, and we had to extricate them and hand [the bodies] over to the police at the scene for preservation and further investigation,” Mr. Ackah said.
The crash also sparked a fire, which firefighters quickly contained to prevent further damage. “We had to deal with a fire that erupted with this aircraft, and therefore we were able to prevent further damage after the crash,” he noted.
Mr. Ackah added that it is not yet confirmed whether more than two people were on board, but the bodies of the two deceased individuals were recovered and handed over to the police.
He said the helicopter was badly damaged by both the crash and the resulting fire. “If you look at the crashed helicopter, it is badly damaged. The extent of damage is quite extensive,” he said.
Police officers are currently securing the scene while emergency teams continue to fully extinguish the fire. “We have the police at the scene helping with security to ensure the public does not crowd the area, allowing us to finally extinguish the fire that resulted from the crash,” Mr. Ackah explained.
The GNFS official confirmed that the investigation will involve multiple state agencies, including aviation authorities, to determine the cause of the accident. “We are in touch with the other relevant agencies to ensure that this unfortunate incident is properly investigated so that we know what actually led to it,” he said.
The GNFS has confirmed that the remains of the two victims have been retrieved from the crash site and sent to the Police morgue for preservation and autopsy.
