Committee to investigate aircraft crash
A-seven member committee has been inaugurated by the Ministry of Transport to investigate the Ethiopian Airways Boeing 737 Cargo Aircraft crash at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) last Saturday.
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The inauguration is in accordance with the Ghana Civil Aviation Act 678 and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) process in the conduct of aircraft investigations.
Members of the committee are: Captain Samuel Thompson, a Pilot; Mr Ben Asare Buotu, a retired Safety Inspector; Mr Kenneth Kwakume, a retired Air Traffic Controller; Mr Amos Narh, a retired Ghana Meteorological Officer; Mr Chris Quaye, a retired Director of Airport Operations; Madam Josephine Nkrumah, a Legal expert, and Wing Commander Joseph Adu Gyamfi of the Ghana Air Force.
Also present to witness the inauguration was the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority (ECCA) Accident Investigation Bureau Chief, Connell Abera Zeleke; the State Safety Director of Ethiopia, Captain Girma Gebre, and the Flight Safety Manager of Ethiopia, Captain Gedlu Melesse.
Terms of reference
Speaking at a ceremony in Accra last Thursday, the Minister of Transport, Madam Dzifa Attivor, said the terms of reference of the committee was to establish the cause of the accident, determine the extent of injuries, establish the extent of loss or damage to property, consider any issues relevant to safety, and to make recommendations to forestall any future occurrences.
The committee, she said, was empowered to co-opt expertise from local and international groups to assist in the investigations.
She also said the committee was expected to submit its initial findings within 30 days after which the outcome of the findings would determine the second phase of the investigations.
Madam Attivor expressed the hope that the committee would carry out “a very thorough investigation and submit recommendations that would enhance safety within our airspace”.
No blame game
In his remarks, the Chairman of the committee, Captain Samuel Thompson, said the members would work hard and come up with the factual report of the accident.
He added that they would also endeavour to work within the terms of reference that had been given to them as well as the policy of the GCAA concerning accident investigations.
He said the purpose of the committee was to investigate the cause of the accident, and not to apportion blame to anyone but rather find ways to prevent future occurrences.