The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Major General William Agyapong, has defended the Ghana Armed Forces’ decision to use cocoa sacks to carry the remains of eight people who died in the August 6 helicopter crash in the Ashanti Region.
The military has faced public criticism after images and reports emerged showing the burnt remains of the victims being transported in cocoa sacks.
Speaking during a meeting with executives of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) on Wednesday, August 13, Major General Agyapong explained that the extreme condition of the bodies made the use of standard body bags impractical.
According to him, although some body bags were available at the crash site, the remains had been severely burnt due to the impact and subsequent fire, making the bags unsuitable.
“It was in the thick forest, and it was getting late. We had the option of leaving the remains there until the following day, but we knew what would have happened to the bodies. So, the team decided to use the available materials to move them to higher ground,” he said.
The CDS further stressed that the rescue team was working in challenging terrain and could not risk leaving the remains at the scene overnight.
He also disclosed that search and recovery operations were still ongoing to locate all body parts and pieces of the aircraft.
“As I speak, personnel on the ground are expanding the search daily because we do not yet know the full extent of the wreckage,” he noted.
