Waterways have long been a vital mode of transportation for many Ghanaian communities, providing access to schooling, work, and trade.

However, the recurring boat disasters across the country continue to raise concerns about the lack of safety measures, inadequate regulation, and poor enforcement of maritime laws.

Experts and marine authorities have repeatedly stressed the importance of mandatory life jacket use, regular vessel inspections, and education campaigns to prevent such tragedies.

Over the past two years, Ghana has witnessed several tragic boat disasters that have drawn renewed attention to the country’s inland water transport safety.

These incidents, which occurred across major rivers and lakes, highlight a persistent challenge of overloading, poor maintenance, and lack of safety measures on local vessels, particularly in rural areas where water transport remains a vital mode of movement for residents.

This GhanaWeb article highlights some boat disasters that have occurred in Ghana over the past two years.

October 11, 2025

In October 2025, a devastating accident on the Volta Lake claimed the lives of at least fifteen people, including eleven children between the ages of two and fourteen. The boat, which was travelling from Okuma to Bovime in the Krachi West District of the Oti Region, reportedly capsized due to suspected overloading.

According to the Ghana Maritime Authority, preliminary reports indicated that the boat was overloaded beyond its safe operational capacity. The bodies of twelve of the deceased have been deposited at the Kete Krachi and Worawora Government Hospital mortuaries, while the remaining three children have been laid to rest.

The GMA, in a statement dated October 12, 2025, described the incident as a critical and unacceptable breach of safety standards and assured the public of full transparency and decisive corrective action.

It added that an investigative team comprising maritime safety inspectors and Navy Task Force personnel from Dambai had been deployed to the scene to determine the cause of the accident, identify safety violations, and ensure that all responsible parties were held accountable. Survivors recounted how the vessel struggled to stay afloat before tipping over.

September 14, 2025

Seven fishermen were reported missing after two fishing boats capsized in the Ada estuary during an attempt to enter the Volta River.

According to the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the two boats had a total of 19 occupants and 12 of them were rescued.

“These two fishing boats went fishing and they were coming back when they met a tidal wave and the two boats capsized,” the Ada East NADMO said.

September 28, 2025,

On September 28, 2025, a strong tidal wave struck a 28-member fishing vessel at the Elmina Fishing Harbour, causing it to sink. Fortunately, all crew members survived.

The eight-year-old vessel reportedly collided with underwater rocks and boulders after being pushed off course by strong winds toward the rocky sea defence at the harbour.

Fisherfolk later raised concerns over the growing danger of submerged rocks and sediment build-up in the harbour basin, calling for urgent dredging works to improve safety and navigation.

May 31, 2024,

Tragedy struck Goi in the Ada West District as an inshore vessel sank, leaving four crew members unaccounted for.

Among the missing were two Chinese nationals and two Ghanaians.

The vessel, from Tema, was carrying a total of ten crew members when it encountered distress.

Sources indicate that a leak was detected onboard while the vessel was at sea. Despite the crew’s pleas to head offshore, the captain opted otherwise, resulting in the unfortunate incident.

“We noticed the leakage while onboard, but the captain disregarded our suggestion to navigate offshore,” recounted one of the rescued crew members.

Of the crew, comprising eight Ghanaians and two Chinese nationals, six were fortunately rescued by local fishermen from Goi, who swiftly responded to distress calls. Hearing cries for help while casting their nets, the fishermen rushed to aid the sinking vessel.

June 12, 2024,

On Tuesday, June 12, 2024, three persons died after a boat they were travelling in capsized in the evening on the Oti River in Dambai.

The boat, which was carrying ten persons from Dambai, was heading towards Njari, a farming and fishing community in the Krachi East Municipality of the Oti Region, when the incident occurred.

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Seven persons were rescued, while three reported died. The travellers resorted to using canoes to cross the Oti River after the only ferry operating on the river broke down.

September 17, 2023,

On September 17, 2023, two fishing canoes capsized at the Ada Estuary near Azizanya in the Ada East District. Nineteen fishermen were involved in the disaster, fifteen of whom were rescued, and two bodies were later retrieved.



On May 11, 2023, nine schoolchildren from Faana, a suburb of Bortianor in the Ga South Municipality of the Greater Accra Region, drowned when the boat taking them across an estuary capsized.

The children were returning home from school at Wiaboman, a community near Dansoman, when they met their untimely death. The tragic incident left the entire community devastated and sparked discussions about enforcing safety protocols for children who use boats for daily commuting.

May 28–31, 2023

In May 2023, two separate disasters were reported along the country’s major water bodies. On the Black Volta in the Savannah Region, a boat carrying more than fifty people from Dorkorchina to Kpandai capsized after hitting tree stumps submerged beneath the surface. One body was retrieved, while dozens were reported missing.

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Around the same period, another tragedy unfolded on the Bui River at Bongase in the Bono Region when a local engine boat transporting about seventy passengers, mostly illegal miners, hit a stump and overturned. Sixty-eight people were rescued and one person died.

March 12, 2023,

On March 12, 2023, eight persons reported died after a boat carrying fifteen people headed for Kpadzori in the Krachi West District of the Oti Region capsized on the River Oti.

The accident was blamed on overloading, as the boat was designed to carry only eight passengers. According to eyewitnesses, none of the deceased were wearing life jackets.

March 18, 2023,

Again, on March 18, 2023, five people died in a Volta Lake accident after a boat they were travelling in capsized at Azizakpe in the Ada East District of the Greater Accra Region. The affected persons were travelling from Azizanya to Azizakpe, an overbank community, to attend a funeral when the accident occurred.

A survivor, Gifty Mamle Agbasi, recounted that the boat was overloaded and that none of the passengers were wearing life jackets.

As Ghana continues to rely on its rivers, lakes, and coastal waters for transportation and fishing, the need for stronger safety enforcement and modern navigation systems remains crucial to protecting lives and livelihoods.

JKB/VPO

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