Two Killed in Aircraft Crash Near School Park in Tema Community One

Two people have lost their lives after a small aircraft crashed and caught fire near a school park at Tema Community One in the Greater Accra Region on Monday afternoon.

The incident, which occurred at about 4 p.m., happened at the Oninku Drive School Park at Site 17, close to the TMA Daycare Centre. Eyewitnesses reported seeing the aircraft descending unusually before it crashed and burst into flames.

Personnel from the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) responded swiftly to the emergency, working to contain the fire and secure the area.

According to Divisional Officer II Ebenezer Yenzu, Tema Regional Public Relations Officer of the GNFS, an initial distress call was received just before 1 p.m., reporting a fire outbreak in the area.

“By the time we arrived, we realised it involved a helicopter that had fallen close to the wall of the daycare facility,” he said.

Firefighters, with support from personnel of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, managed to extinguish the blaze and cordon off the scene to prevent further risk to nearby residents.

Authorities confirmed that all teachers and pupils at the daycare centre had been safely evacuated before emergency teams arrived, ensuring no casualties among the children.

“None of the pupils or teachers sustained any injuries, as they had already moved to safety,” Mr Yenzu added.

However, two men on board the aircraft were found dead after the fire was brought under control. Their bodies have since been retrieved and deposited at the morgue by police for preservation and autopsy.

The crash site has been secured as investigations begin into the cause of the accident. Officials say aviation experts will be engaged to assist with the probe.

Mr Yenzu disclosed that the aircraft has been identified with registration number 9G-ADV, although details regarding its origin and the circumstances leading to the crash remain unclear.

Assembly Member for the Kwesi Plange Electoral Area, Ahmed Abdullia, also confirmed that no schoolchildren were harmed in the incident.

Eyewitnesses described moments of panic as the aircraft hovered low before crashing. Some residents rushed to the scene and attempted to control the fire using water from nearby sources before the arrival of emergency services.

One of the first responders, Sadik Abdulai, said their immediate focus was to move children away from danger while preventing the flames from spreading.

Investigations are ongoing.