Several people feared dead as boat transporting mourners capsizes on Volta Lake
Five persons have been confirmed dead in Ada, with several bodies yet to be found after a boat capsized on the Volta Lake in Ada
The incident which occurred Saturday, March 18, 2023, at round 9am when the boat was conveying some people from Azizanya across the lake to funeral at Azizakpe.
The yet to be retrieved bodies include two and three months as well as two years babies.
According to locals, the boat which earlier took some people across the lake, this time, had over 50 people onboard instead of about 25 people.
The residents say they cautioned the outboard motor operator to reduce the number of occupants after picking a signal of a possible accident, but he declined. Not too long after he took off from Azizanya, the boat unfortunately capsized, leaving many drowned.
Though it took locals to manage and rescue an undisclosed number of them, five people including two women and three children were so far found dead. A rescue team made up of officials from NADMO, Marine Police and Navy are currently searching for the other missing bodies.
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The East Ada NADMO Director, Ebenezer Teye Nartey, has been has confirmed the incident to Ghananest.com.
Gifty Agbasi, is a survivor, told Ghananest.com that they were over fifty onboard without a single life jacket. She further narrates how the accident occurred briefly, implicating the operator for negligence.
“Nobody was on a life jacket, there was no single life jacket onboard, and we carried no goods except two crates of drinks. To be frank, we were more than the boat supposed to take, and the operator told us that nothing will happen.”
“A few minutes after we set off, the boat capsized, and we were fortunate to have been saved by residents who rushed in with canoes, but some people have died,” she said.
Medical Superintendent of the East Ada District Hospital, Dr. Philip, said none of the surviving victims are on admission at the facility, but the five bodies have been deposited at the Mortuary.
A few minutes after we set off, the boat capsized, and we were fortunate to have been saved by residents who rushed in with canoes, but some people have died.
Source: Ghananest.com/Matthew O. A. Dadzie
