Overloaded Boat Capsizes, Killing 11 Kids and 4 Adults on Volta Lake

Fifteen people have died in an accident on the Volta Lake after an overloaded boat carrying them capsized, the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) has confirmed.

While 11 were children aged 2 to 14 years, four were confirmed to be adults in the accident that happened near Kete Krachi on Saturday, October 11.

The GMA has since constituted a specialised team, including Maritime Inspectors and the Navy Task Force, to establish the cause and hold all responsible parties fully accountable.

It is also preparing to set up what it calls a casualty Investigations Committee with the Ministry of Transport to ensure urgent policy changes, as well as launching a sustained lakeside safety enforcement operation to clamp down on overloaded boats and operators violating safety laws.

Meanwhile, it appealed to residents on the Volta Lake to act as a custodian of safety, as it directed them to boycott any boat that is visibly overloaded or lacks lifejackets.

“Your refusal could save a life, especially a child’s.”

It also offered its deepest, most heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and the Kete Krachi community enduring this unimaginable loss.

Story by Hajara Fuseini

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