Kete Krachi: 15 mourners dead after boat capsizes on Volta Lake

The Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) has confirmed a fatal boat disaster on the Volta Lake near Kete Krachi, resulting in a devastating loss of lives.

The incident is said to have occurred on Saturday, October 11, 2025, at approximately 1:30 PM (13:30 hrs). A statement released by the GMA on Sunday, October 12, 2025, narrated that a small boat carrying passengers, reportedly returning from a funeral at Okuma to Bovime, both in the Krachi West District of the Oti Region, tragically capsized.

Preliminary reports indicate that the boat was “grossly overloaded” beyond its safe operational capacity. The disaster claimed 15 lives in total.

11 of the deceased were children between the ages of 2 and 14 years (five males and six females). The remaining four victims were adults — three women and one man—aged between 18 to 64 years.

Four other adults who were on board survived the accident.

The bodies of 12 of the deceased have been deposited at the Kete Krachi and Worawora government hospital mortuaries, while the remaining three children have since been laid to rest.

Boat accidents on the Volta Lake remain a major concern for communities living around Ghana’s largest lake. On August 9, 2025, a boat carrying people from Kete Krachi to an island community capsized following a heavy storm. Two passengers died, leaving just one survivor.

That same month, a boat accident killed mourners on Volta Lake at Krachi Nchumuru in the Oti Region. The boat returning from a funeral was overloaded with passengers, motorbikes, and foodstuffs. After encountering strong winds, it capsized. The accident resulted in the deaths of five people.

According to analysts, these maritime accidents are caused by overloading, as many boats and canoes carry more people or cargo than they are designed for.

In other situations, passengers on the boats lack safety gear. Life jackets are often missing, or passengers not wearing them.

Also, sudden bad weather or storms contribute to boats being overwhelmed.