As Ghana mourns the victims of the August 6, 2025, helicopter crash, the family of Squadron Leader Peter Abaafeme Anala is facing an even deeper heartbreak — the loss of three siblings in just five months.
According to a GhanaWeb report on August 9, the first tragedy came on March 31, when the Anala family lost their elder sister, Grace Lena Anala, in Virginia, USA. Her funeral, held on June 2, was conducted by her brother, Rev. Fr. Anthony Anala SVD, a Catholic priest serving in Mississippi.
Just weeks later, on June 20, Rev. Fr. Anthony passed away suddenly and was laid to rest on June 24, leaving the family reeling from a second devastating blow.
Barely two months after his death, Squadron Leader Peter Anala was among eight people including government ministers and Ghana Air Force personnel who perished in the crash of a military helicopter en route to Obuasi.
Born on November 2, 1989, in Siniesi, Upper East Region, Peter Anala attended St. James Seminary Secondary School in Sunyani before earning his degree at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). He joined the Ghana Military Academy in June 2013 and was commissioned into the Aircrew Branch later that year.
At the time of his death, he served as a pilot in the No. 8 Helicopter Wing, flying the Z-9 helicopter. He is survived by his wife and child.
For the Anala family, the months between March and August 2025 have been marked by unimaginable grief — losing a sister, a priestly brother, and a decorated pilot in quick succession. While the nation shares in mourning its fallen heroes, their story reflects the profound personal toll of national tragedy.
