The Ghana Air Force’s (GAF) helicopter that went down on August 6 was a Z-9 utility helicopter manufactured in China, according to retired Wing Commander Patrick Nelson Sogbodjor.
“The aircraft is a model that has a long service history and multiple uses,” he said.
“This aircraft was donated by the Chinese about two years ago. It is a version of the French Eurocopter Dolphin, adapted for military use,” he stated.
“The Z-9 can transport passengers, carry equipment, and perform search and rescue or anti-submarine missions,” he continued.
Despite the aircraft’s capability and modernity, Sogbodjor pointed out that all machines, regardless of their level of sophistication, eventually experience technical breakdown.
It is improbable that the Ghana Air Force chopper crash was caused by sabotage, he said.
Because the aircraft was based at a guarded Air Force site, he continued, it was very difficult for unauthorized people to get in.
“For anyone to sabotage it, they would need access to the base and the aircraft. That is not easy unless you are a trained technician. Even then, it would be detected during pre-flight checks,” he said.
Sogbodjor disputed that the Z-9 could have been taken down by small arms fire, pointing out that only a missile could do so and that there is no proof of such an attack.
The crash claimed the lives of eight Ghanaians. Among them were Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed and Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, both cabinet ministers.
Source: newsthemegh.com