Ghana’s beautiful and serene lakes and rivers, including the White and Black Volta, have become a death trap for many, especially students and residents pursuing economic activities.
The recent tragic incident near Dinie Tuonbo in the Savannah Region, where a boat capsized on the White Volta, leaving several people feared dead, is a stark reminder of the dangers that lurk beneath the surface.
The incident, which occurred as residents fled violent clashes over a land dispute, has left many families in mourning. Reports indicate that six people were rescued, while several others remain missing.
This tragedy is not an isolated incident, as the White Volta has witnessed frequent boat mishaps over the years, often blamed on overloading, poor safety practices, and the absence of life jackets.
The Black Volta has also been a site of tragedy, including the drowning of seven Lawra Senior High School students who lost their lives after their canoe capsized midstream during a morning jogging exercise.
Research by Bloomberg Philanthropies, in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO), during the official launch of the Global Status Report on Drowning Prevention in Geneva, Switzerland, revealed that approximately 1,400 people die from drowning annually in Ghana.
This staggering figure highlights a silent public crisis that has largely gone unnoticed, despite its devastating impact on families and communities across the country.
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As the nation finds alternative measures to curb this public crisis, The Ghana Report unveils some of the drowning incidents in some rivers or lakes in recent years.
- Boat Disaster: 6 rescued, several feared drowned in White Volta
A few days ago, six people were rescued, while several others are still missing after a boat carrying displaced residents capsized on the White Volta near Dinie Tuonbo in the Savannah Region.
The victims were reportedly trying to cross the river to seek safety when the overloaded vessel lost balance and overturned midstream.
The exact number of passengers on board remains unknown, but authorities believe the boat exceeded its safe carrying capacity.
Emergency response teams from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), supported by personnel from the security services, have been swiftly deployed to the area.
A full-scale search and rescue operation is currently underway to locate any remaining survivors and recover the bodies of those missing.
Preliminary reports suggest that the passengers were fleeing flood-hit areas in search of refuge.
The recent rise in water levels along the White Volta has displaced many communities, forcing residents to resort to dangerous river crossings, often without proper boats or life jackets.
- 17-year-old student drowns in Nkwanta South
A 17-year-old student from Nkwanta Senior High School in the Oti Region, on August 17, 2025, tragically drowned at Gyelen Bridge in the Bontibor farming community.
This incident occurred when the student was making his way home from the farm.
The bridge, which was built just a year ago, had collapsed due to recent heavy rains, isolating the community from vital commercial activities.
Frank Yeboah, the Assembly Member for the Bontibor/Salifukrom Electoral Area, confirmed the tragedy and attributed this disaster to inadequate construction practices and a lack of proper oversight.
- 10-year-old boy drowns in Salt Lake at Nyanyano
The body of a 10-year-old boy, identified as Nurudeen Abubakar, was found in Salt Lake at Gomoa Nyanyano in the Gomoa East District of the Central Region in February 2025.
According to reports, Nurudeen went missing on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, after returning from school.
His lifeless body was discovered the following day, Thursday, February 20, 2025.
- 7 Lawra SHS students feared dead after boat capsizes on Black Volta
What began as a routine morning jog ended in tragedy for students of Lawra Senior High School after seven of them went missing when a boat they boarded capsized on the Black Volta River near Dikpe.
Reports indicate that ten students on a morning exercise unexpectedly attempted to cross into Burkina Faso.
Midway through the crossing, their boat overturned, throwing all passengers into the fast-moving river.
Three students were rescued, while the other drowned.
- Four feared dead as boat capsizes on Volta Lake
In December 2024, four people lost their lives in a devastating boat accident on the Volta Lake at Manya Krobo.
The incident occurred when a boat carrying seven young men capsized while travelling from Agbega Porpornya to a neighbouring community in the Upper Manya Krobo district of the Eastern Region.
According to reports, three passengers survived the accident, with two receiving medical treatment at the Asesewa Government Hospital.
Unfortunately, four individuals went missing.
- 11 drown, 5 missing as boat capsizes on River Oti
Eleven people, including two minors, drowned in June 2024 when a boat they were travelling on capsized in the Oti River.
Seven people were rescued, but the others went missing.
Assembly member of Dambai Lakeside Emmanuel Atali said that soon after the news was announced, Navy officials and local boat operators launched a massive rescue operation.
Immediately, four women, including a baby girl, were found and rushed to the intensive care unit at Dambai Health Centre.
The boat, which took off from Dambai, was heading towards Njari, a farming and fishing community under Krachi East Municipality of the Oti Region, when the disaster struck.
Sources said the passengers on board were returning from Dambai market.
- 9 children dead as boat capsizes at Faana-Bortianor
One of the shocking and heartbreaking news stories that struck the nation in 2023 was the drowning of nine schoolchildren who lost their lives after their canoe capsized on the Weija River.
The accident happened on Wednesday, May 10, 2023, at about 5:24 pm.
The passengers were returning from school across the river to the Faana-Bortianor in the Ga South Municipality, in the Oboom Domeabra constituency.
According to a 13-year-old student survivor of the boat accident, at about 5 pm, twelve of them were at the bank of the river waiting for a boat to convey them to the Faana community, but boats were not forthcoming. Subsequently, they saw a boat being operated by a young man and beckoned to him to transport them to the Faana community.
But after they were on board, they realised they were more than the boat could carry, and they told the boat operator to drop some of them off and come back for them, but he didn’t heed them.
Consequently, in the middle of their journey, the boat capsized and cast all of them into the river, including a one-year-old and a six-month-old toddler.
Three out of the twelve survived, whilst one went missing after eight bodies of the children were recovered from the river.
The missing person was found the following day, Thursday, May 11, 2023.
- 3 Drown As Boat Capsizes On Volta Lake
In April 2023, three people lost their lives in the Volta Lake at Yeji in the Bono East Region.
According to reports, the deceased persons from Makango in the Savanna Region missed the ferry to Yeji and decided to travel by boat.
However, the boat capsized during a storm on the river, leading to their demise.
- 8 persons die in a boat accident on Oti River
Eight people out of the eleven passengers onboard a canoe perished after it capsized on the Oti River on Monday, March 27, 2023.
According to eyewitnesses, the passengers were mourners travelling from Kpajoti, a village in the Krachi Nchumuru District, to Sabaja in the Krachi West Municipality.
They were all without life jackets, an eyewitness hinted.
Speaking to the media, the Assemblyman of Wuringa Electoral Area, Mr. Francis Yaw Bio, explained that the number of passengers onboard the canoe, 11, was more than what the canoe could take, which is six.
“There were eleven people in the canoe, including the driver, making it 12. The number was bigger than what the canoe could take; they were supposed to be six passengers,” the Assemblyman reiterated.
