The Holy See Press Office published the telegram on Thursday evening August 7 that reads, “His Holiness Pope Leo XIV sends his condolences upon the deaths of the minis­ters, government officials and all who perished in the military helicopter crash.

Entrusting the souls of the deceased to the mercy of Almighty God, and with prayers for those who mourn their loss, especially their families, the Holy Father assures the nation of his spiritual closeness at this difficult time.”

The helicopter, carrying three crew and five passengers, crashed in a heavily forested area of the central Ashanti region. It was carrying Ghana’s Minister of Defense, Edward Omane Boamah, the Minister of En­vironment, Ibrahim Murtala Mu­hammed, and six crew and other passengers accompanying them. They were traveling to the town of Obuasi for an event related to stopping illegal mining. There were no survivors.

The missionary news service, Agenzia Fides, reported Bishop Gyamfi’s reaction to the tragedy, saying the news came as a great shock to all.

The Ghana Bishops’ Confer­ence issued a statement express­ing its condolences to the Presi­dent, the families of the victims, Parliament, and the nation, saying “we ask all Ghanaians to pray for them” while they also noted their “shock to lose such brilliant minds all at once.”

The Bishops emphasised that the victims “were men of proven commitment, servants of the state, politicians, techno­crats, and gallant officers of the Ghana Armed Forces, who gave their lives in the service of the Republic, the institutions, and the people of this country.

Their sudden and untimely passing is not only a blow to their families and friends, but also a great loss for the nation.”