Accra, Ghana – (African Boulevard News) – Tragedy struck in Ghana on Thursday when a boat ferrying local primary school pupils capsized. Nine young pupils have been confirmed dead in the accident, while another five remain hospitalized.
The boat was carrying a total of 30 pupils and two teachers, along with other passengers, on a trip to the shores of Adwoa in the Asuogyaman district. The children, who were between the ages of six and 14, were from the Mangoase Methodist Primary School in the Eastern Region of Ghana.
According to witnesses, the boat was overloaded, with passengers struggling to maintain a balance as it sailed towards the shore. The boat capsized, and the passengers were thrown into the water.
Rescue operators were swiftly deployed to the location, and a search and rescue mission was launched. Bodies of eight of the kids found earlier were sent to the Korle Teaching Hospital morgue.
“An initial rescue operation resulted in the safe recovery of seventeen pupils and two teachers, while the search for the remaining pupils continued,” said an official statement from the Asuogyaman District Assembly.
“The final search and rescue operation continued until 10 pm when the team called off, leaving the police and divers on the ground to continue with the search,” the statement added.
The Ghanaian President, Nana Akufo-Addo, has extended condolences to the families of the deceased pupils. He has also directed Ghana’s Education Ministry to promptly investigate the incident and ensure that measures are taken to prevent future incidents.
The incident has sparked outrage among Ghanaians, with many calling for stricter regulation of boat operations in the area. According to the Ghana Maritime Authority, the country has seen an increase in boat accidents in recent years, with many of them being attributed to overloading and other safety violations.
In conclusion, the drowning of these young Ghanaian pupils has highlighted a pressing need for authorities to take more stringent measures to ensure the safety of passengers in the water transportation sector.
