Lawyer and Partner at Deloitte Africa and Africa Infrastructure and Capital Projects Leader, Yaw Appiah Lartey, has criticised the decision to allow the Z-9 helicopter involved in the crash that claimed eight lives to take off despite being overdue for servicing.

Speaking on JoyNews' Newsfile on Saturday, he said the aircraft was due for routine maintenance in May 2020, which was not completed. Instead, an extension was requested to August—a move he says was unsafe and avoidable.

“In aviation, if your aircraft is due for servicing, you should carry it out rather than request an extension,” he said. “It’s like a car: you can ignore servicing, but you put yourself and others at risk.”

He emphasised that proper maintenance, coupled with strict adherence to safety protocols, could prevent tragedies.

“Had the helicopter been serviced on time and the risks properly assessed, this incident could have been avoided,” he added.

Mr Lartey also raised concerns about the pilot’s discretion to fly under challenging conditions. He recounted examples from aviation practice, including incidents where pilots took off but had to immediately land due to potential hazards such as wildlife on the runway or adverse weather.

“The point is, whenever you have acts of nature or forces of nature, you avoid flying. Lives matter, even more than attending conferences or official events,” he said.