One person has been confirmed dead, with four others battling for their lives after a canoe capsized on River Okye near Okyiso in the Assin South District of the Central Region.
The deceased has been identified as 12-year-old Kojo Adu, who was pronounced dead upon arrival at the clinic.
Information gathered by Adom News suggests the capsized canoe was carrying five children aged between 6 and 12.
The victims included three siblings, their friend, and the canoe’s paddler.
According to reports, the children were heading towards Amoanda in the Ajumako Enyan Essiam District to search for pears, with the only route being a perilous canoe crossing.
The cause of the accident is, however, not immediately known.
Residents of Assin Okyiso responded swiftly to the disaster and were able to rescue four children, while Kojo’s body was later found submerged.
In an interview with Adom News, the parents of the deceased, Ama Ninaa and Kwabena Asane, expressed their frustration over the incident.
The tragedy has sparked an urgent appeal from residents of Assin Okyiso and Amoanda for the government and Members of Parliament—Rev. Ntim Fordjour and Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson—to construct a footbridge over the Okyi River to prevent future occurrences.
