One woman is reported dead, and another is missing in a boat disaster on the Bui River at Bongase in the Bono region. 68 people including the boat operator were rescued in the doomed voyage.
Information gathered indicates that a local search party at Bongase is still in the waters looking for the missing victim.
It is reported that the local engine boat was carrying 70 passengers, who are believed to be illegal miners from a ”galamsey” base called Akufo-Addo and Alegele, and heading towards Bongase near Nsuano.
However, the boat could not reach its destination as it hit a stump and capsized, throwing all 70 passengers into the river.
The incident happened on May 25th.
Cases of drowning have become rampant in the country.
On Wednesday, May 24, 2023, an 18-year-old Junior High School (JHS) student of Assin Andoe D/A Basic School in the Assin South District of the Central Region drowned in River Ochi while attempting to swim to impress his friends for a reward of Gh₵10.
However, he sank immediately after he dived into the river and wasn’t found again.
Also, nine schoolchildren met their untimely deaths on May 10 when the canoe they were traveling on capsized and drowned at Faana in the Weija Gbawe municipality in Accra.
Africa Education Watch (Eduwatch) bashed the Ghana Education Service (GES) over its failure to provide life jackets for students living on island communities when a similar incident happened at Atigagorrne/Wayokope, on January 25, where 8 pupils drowned.
Drowning trends
In a related development, a report released by researchers from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Accra on Friday, February 11, 2023, has revealed that Ghana recorded 1,449 drowning cases in the last three years.
According to the research, there were 1,142 fatal cases, 305 non-fatal cases, and two unknown cases.
It further revealed a high number of male victims which stood at 1,185 as against 231 females.
It adds that drowning frequently occurred among males, children, and young adults.
The research was conducted in partnership with the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Foundation with funding from the Bloomberg Philanthropies in 52 coastal, inland water, and dry districts.