Boat mishap on River Oti claims lives of 10 BECE candidates
At least seven Junior High School pupils have been confirmed dead in a boat disaster on the Oti River in the Saboba District of the Northern Region.
Three of the pupils are still missing and about 21 others have been rescued on Friday, the Saboba District police commander, ASP Shine Zokoiku, said.
The victims were said to be returning from the farm when the vessel capsized Friday. It is also reported that the St Charles Liwanga Junior High School students numbering 31 were returning from the headteacher’s farm when the disaster happened.
ASP Zokoiku is reported by Accra-based Joy FM to have said they suspect the boat was overloaded.
Meanwhile, the brother of the headteacher, David Takah, told the network that the family does not know his whereabouts currently, as efforts to reach him have failed.
Drowning incidents are common in Ghana, especially down south where illegal mining is common. In October, at least four people died when their boat capsized in the River Offin in the Ashanti Region. Their bodies were pulled out of the river after nearly three days of search.
