At least six people have gone missing after a canoe on which they were travelling capsized in the Daboya River in the Northern Region, Tuesday morning.

An eye witness Sawesi Sulemana who spoke to Joy News said the accident occured at about 8 am this motning “a boat loaded people crossing to Daboya but capsized in the middle of the river because of a storm”. 

Among the missing people are two children who were travelling with their father, identified as a police officer.

Five people including the police officer have been rescued and are currently receiving treatment at the Daboya Polyclinic.

District Chief Executive Officer of the area Sorku Yehuza blamed the accident on lack of caution on the part of operators of the canoe.

"Ideally we don’t operate a boat when it is threatening to rain but someone defied this norm in an attempt to cross a river at the time when clouds were gathering they were met by a wind storm and the boat capsized”

He said there is a local search team in the river trying to find out the number of people still trapped in the water.

The chief priest for the river and three other have been searching for possible survivors and those whose bodies’ might have been washed ashore as the rains continue to fall in the area.