As Ghana grieves the tragic Z9 military helicopter crash that claimed eight lives, former President John Agyekum Kufuor has opened up about a terrifying close call he experienced during his time in office—shedding light on the silent dangers faced by those in public service.
In an emotional interview on Angel TV, the former president reflected on a 2007 diplomatic mission that nearly ended in disaster. He recalled flying with an entourage of 12 to 16 people from Tripoli, Libya to Khartoum, Sudan after a meeting with the late Muammar Gaddafi.
“Had it not been for God’s intervention, I would have been involved in a plane crash over the Sahara Desert,” Kufuor revealed.
Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft struggled to ascend. For nearly 30 agonizing minutes, the plane remained low over the vast desert, seemingly unable to gain altitude. Kufuor painted a vivid picture of the panic onboard:
“All you could see beneath us was the endless Sahara. The plane felt heavy. It refused to climb, and the silence from the pilot made it even worse. Eeeii! What was about to happen to us here?”
As tension gripped the passengers, flight attendants were seen hurriedly moving luggage around—adding to the anxiety. The aircraft eventually veered toward the Mediterranean Sea but continued to struggle at low altitude for almost an hour before making an emergency landing back in Tripoli.
“When we landed, we saw fire tenders and security vehicles racing across the tarmac. That’s when the pilot finally admitted the plane couldn’t climb and had to return.”
The delegation spent the night in Libya before a new aircraft was arranged to continue the journey.
Now, in the wake of the recent helicopter tragedy, Kufuor’s revelation strikes a deep emotional chord. His account is a sobering reminder of the unseen risks that come with diplomatic duty and air travel—and a powerful tribute to the fragility of life.
“I have witnessed something like this before,” he said, drawing a heartfelt connection between his past experience and the current national tragedy.
As Ghana continues to mourn, Kufuor’s story serves not just as a personal testimony—but also a call to strengthen flight safety and honor those who serve the nation, even at great personal risk.
