Double Tragedy on Black Volta: Two Drown After Canoe Capsizes

A devastating canoe accident on the Black Volta River has claimed the lives of two individuals in the Wa West District of the Upper West Region.

The incident occurred on Sunday, July 20, when a canoe carrying six people capsized midstream near Bankpama while returning from a funeral in neighboring Burkina Faso.

Four passengers managed to swim to safety, but two were swept away by the strong currents.

As of Tuesday, July 22, one body had been recovered, and search efforts are ongoing to locate the second victim.

The Assembly Member for the Bankpama Electoral Area, Mr. Nyord John, attributed the tragedy to the lack of life jackets, a recurring issue in the region.

He lamented that this was not the first incident on this stretch of the river and called for urgent action to address the safety concerns.

Officials from NADMO and the Ghana Police Service have visited the scene and are assisting with recovery efforts.

NADMO has pledged to provide life jackets to canoe operators in the area to prevent future accidents.