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A somber atmosphere enveloped the Oti River in Dambai as a tragic boating incident claimed the lives of three persons after their vessel capsized while en route from Dambai to Njari, a remote farming and fishing community within the Krachi East Municipality.
Reports indicate that the ill-fated boat, ferrying a total of 10 individuals from Dambai, encountered distressing circumstances during its journey when it overturned, leading to a frantic rescue operation that saw seven passengers pulled out alive while tragically losing three souls to the unforgiving waters. Among the deceased are a man, a woman, and a child, whose lives were cut short in a heart-wrenching turn of events.
Emmanuel Atali, the Assembly Member representing the Dambai Lakeside electoral area, sorrowfully acknowledged the devastating loss of lives and disclosed that a concerted search and recovery mission has been initiated involving collaborative efforts from the Navy, National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), police personnel, and local residents to retrieve the bodies of the victims submerged beneath the river.
The gut-wrenching tragedy sheds light on the perilous conditions faced by commuters navigating the Oti River, exacerbated by the breakdown of the sole ferry service, forcing travelers to resort to precarious canoe crossings in the absence of alternative modes of transportation.
The lack of reliable crossing options has sparked outcry among locals and passersby who have voiced urgent appeals for the restoration of ferry services or the construction of a bridge to safeguard future journeys along the turbulent waterway.
As the community grapples with the repercussions of this harrowing event, questions loom over the safety measures governing aquatic travel and the urgent need for sustainable solutions to prevent further loss of lives on the Oti River.
By Vincent Kubi