The Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation and Prevention Bureau Act, 2020, Act 1028 mandates the Bureau to establish and operationalize standby investigators as first respondents to aircraft accidents and serious incidents.

During the inauguration of the first Committee of Investigators, made up of experienced professionals in aircraft accident and incident investigation, the Commissioner, Akwasi Agyeibi Prempeh urged the Investigators to serve diligently in their role as first respondents to aircraft accidents and serious incidents.

He emphasized that working within Ghana and the oceanic region of the Accra Flight Information Region (FIR) will not be an easy task. However, by the shared experiences at flight and flight engineering, he believed that they will be able to deliver within timelines and the expectation of safety standards and responses in line with the ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices.

The Committee was specifically charged with the responsibility of looking into draft final reports, uninvestigated occurrences and other related- matters of immense interest to the Bureau on matters prior to the establishment of substantive investigators on the occurrence of accidents or incidents.

The Committee included members from the Ghana Air Force, Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, Distinguish Retired Pilots and Aircraft Engineers, Professional Engineers and Public Servants.

Air Commodore Kwame Mamphey, former Director-General of GCAA, who spoke on behalf of the newly inaugurated Investigators expressed his excitement of the establishment of the Bureau and assured the Commissioner of bringing their expertise to bear in serving the Bureau to achieve its mandate of serving Ghana and the Sub-region.

He reiterated Members’ commitment of ensuring that the Commissioner’s advise to work collaboratively, harmoniously and diligently with other State Institutions at accident and incident scenes in providing rescue operations, security, protection, preservation of ground markings and general evidence will be religiously adhered to.