Fifteen people, including eleven children, have died after a boat capsized on Lake Volta in Ghana’s Oti Region, maritime authorities confirmed on Sunday.
According to the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA), the tragic incident occurred on Saturday in the Krachi West District while passengers were travelling from Okuma to Bovime.
“Tragically, 11 of the deceased were children between the ages of two and 14 years — five boys and six girls,” the GMA said in a statement, adding that the remaining victims were adults aged up to 64.
Four adults survived the accident, which the authority described as “a critical and unacceptable breach of safety standards.” Preliminary investigations suggest that the boat was overloaded.
A specialised investigation team, including naval officers, has been deployed to determine the exact cause of the tragedy. The GMA also announced plans to form a high-level investigation committee with the transport ministry and to begin “a sustained lakeside safety enforcement operation” to ensure strict adherence to passenger limits and life jacket regulations.
Boat mishaps are common on Lake Volta, often linked to overloading and collisions with tree stumps. In August, six passengers died in a similar incident, while in May 2023, 18 people lost their lives when a vessel hit a submerged tree stump.
“The GMA remains resolute in unravelling the root causes of this disaster and implementing measures to ensure that no such tragedy ever occurs again,” the authority stated.
