8 Die In Boat Disaster On Oti River

Eight persons are reported dead after a boat carrying 15 persons headed for Kpadzori, in the Krachi West District, in the Oti Re­gion, capsized on River Oti.

The accident allegedly happened around 12:00 pm on Monday due to the overload­ing of the boat designed to carry eight persons.

The deceased are six adults and two children, and all the victims of the accident were not wearing life jackets, according to an eyewitness.

It would be recalled that on March 20, 2023, barely three weeks ago, a similar inci­dent occurred when, five people, including two children drowned, when an overloaded canoe carrying mourners crossing the Ada River from Azizanya to Azizakpe in the Ada East District, in the Greater Accra, capsised.

Gabriel Ajigodi, the canoe operator was arrested by the Ada Foah Police to assist with investigation to unravel the circum­stances under which the incident occurred.

Reports however, indicated that the operator overloaded the canoe putting all passengers in danger.

According to the Assembly Member of Azizakpe Electoral Area, Daniel Adzakpa, the disaster struck because the canoe was overloaded.

He explained that the canoe, which was supposed to carry 25 passengers, was transporting 60 people at the time of the accident.

Some of the survivors narrated that they alerted the operator about the overload and pleaded with him to return them to their boarding point at Azizanya, but he refused.

They indicated that the accident occurred mid-journey after the canoe lost balance and capsised.

Mary Donuki, who lost her one-and-half-year-old baby in the accident, blamed the operator for the disaster, calling for his prosecution as all of them were without life jackets.

The Ada District Court has ordered the remand of Gabriel Ajigodi in police custody as a key suspect in the canoe accident.

Source: Ghanaiantimes.com.gh