Two pregnant women and seven others died when a boat carrying about 11 passengers capsized in the Volta Lake last Sunday.
The people, who were said to be returning from church, met their untimely death when their boat collided with a tree stump in the river and capsized during heavy storm.
The accident happened at Yariga Battor, near Dambai in the Krachi East Municipality of the Volta Region.
Confirming the incident to DAILY GUIDE in Ho, the Volta Regional Coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organization, Divine Bosson, described the incident as heartbreaking and unfortunate.
He said the bodies of nine people were retrieved by a combined team of personnel from NADMO, Fire Service, Police personnel, as well as some local swimmers.
Although investigations have not been concluded, he gave the names of the deceased as Joyce Atali, 16, Bansah Atali, 21, Edward Atali, 18, Dormenyo Atali, 2 and Amedzuwoe Akor, 22.
The rest were Lucy Tsatsu, 19, Xolali Tsatsu, 18, Mkpebi Maabo, 30 and Adwoa Mkpebu, 19.
Mr. Bosson, who was traumatized by the incident, called for intensified efforts to curb accidents and deaths in future.
He also called for extensive education on overloading and the use of life jackets.
Mr Bosson used the opportunity to appeal to corporate institutions, philanthropists and individuals to help provide more life jackets to save lives and put an end to such unfortunate incidents.
He disclosed that soon the taskforce would be deployed along the Volta Lake and River to enforce the necessary laws to reduce accidents in the river bodies.
The bodies have since been deposited at the Worawora Government Hospital morgue pending autopsy.
From Collins Anku, Ho