The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has disclosed the immediate cause of the tragic boat capsize in the Oti Region that claimed 16 lives.
Foster Dzre, the NADMO Regional Director, reported that the incident was triggered when the 11-year-old operator of the vessel fell into the water.
Mr. Dzre explained that the vessel was susceptible to water ingress, requiring those aboard to continually use a container to bail water and prevent the boat from sinking. The young operator fell overboard while attempting to retrieve this vital container.
With the boat momentarily uncontrolled and adrift, the overloaded boat capsized, leading to the unfortunate fatality count of 16 people.
The disaster occurred on Saturday, October 11, 2025, when the overloaded boat overturned while traversing a section of the Volta Lake.
The Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) confirmed the 16 fatalities, noting the victims included four adults and 12 children aged between two and fourteen. Four individuals survived the disaster.
In response, the GMA has launched a full investigation, deploying a specialised team comprising Maritime Inspectors and members of the Navy Task Force to determine the full circumstances surrounding the accident.
Addressing maritime safety during an interview on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, Mr. Dzre reiterated that life jackets are consistently supplied for commercial boats and that individual residents in the area have also been provided with them.
However, he lamented that residents often neglect to wear the safety jackets.
Mr Dzre attributed this widespread non-compliance to the belief among locals in their own extensive experience navigating the waters, leading them to undervalue the critical safety role of personal flotation devices.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
