Ghana's President, John Dramani Mahama, has proclaimed three days of mourning for those who perished in the helicopter tragedy.
Ghana's Defense Minister Edward Omane Boamah and Environment Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed were among the eight people killed in a helicopter crash on Wednesday.
What we know so far
According to a government representative, everyone aboard the military Z9 helicopter perished in the crash in Ghana's central Ashanti region.
The Ghanaian Armed Forces claimed that the air force helicopter took off early in the morning from the capital, Accra, and was traveling northwest into the interior toward the goldmining area of Obuasi in Ashanti when it disappeared off the radar.
The wreckage was eventually discovered in Ashanti's wooded Adansi region.
Three additional authorities were slain with three Ghana Air Force crew members, including Samuel Sarpong, the vice chairman of the ruling National Democratic Congress party.
The reason of the crash was unknown at the time, and the military stated that an inquiry had been launched.
According to Ghana news site My Joy Online, there was a heavy security presence of army and police near the accident location.
According to Ghanaian media reports, the chopper was en route to an event focusing on illegal mining, a serious environmental problem in the west African nation.
