Some residents of Tema Community One Site 18 have been left traumatised following a microlight aircraft crash at the premises of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) Community One No. 3 Day Care Centre.

Eyewitness accounts indicated that the aircraft descended into the school compound, struck part of a building and burst into flames while pupils, aged not more than four years, were present on the premises.

The incident resulted in the death of the two occupants of the aircraft.

When the media visited the scene on Tuesday, the school had been temporarily closed, with no academic activities taking place.

Although the cause of the crash and the full extent of damage to the school were yet to be determined, the incident has left the community in shock, particularly due to the proximity of the young children and staff to the crash site.

Ms Mavis Nyarko, a parent with a child enrolled at the school, described the atmosphere as one of fear and anxiety among parents.

“My child was not in school yesterday because the situation at home was not stable, but I was around when I heard that an aircraft had crashed into the school. I am still shaken and unable to talk much about it,” she said.

She added that many parents were reluctant to send their children back to school until certain assurances were given.

“Everyone is afraid. We are all parents and concerned about our children being so close to such an incident. We are even calling for traditional rites to be performed before classes resume,” she said.

Mr Samuel Addo, an eyewitness, recounted that he was playing football at the Oninku Drive School Park when the incident occurred.

He said he noticed the aircraft descending and initially thought it was attempting to land.

“I saw the pilot waving towards us. I picked up the ball and ran off the field because I sensed danger, but my friends did not believe me and stayed behind,” he said.

Mr Addo noted that the images from the incident, including the reactions of the children and the retrieval of the bodies, had left a lasting impression on him.

“It is something that will always reply to my mind. It was a very traumatic experience,” he added.

Another witness, Mr Mohammed Sadick, expressed concern about the behaviour of some individuals at the scene, who were more focused on taking photos and videos for social media rather than assisting in rescue efforts.

He urged the public to prioritise helping victims during emergencies, noting that such incidents involved human lives.