Gbenyiri residents fleeing conflict drown in White Volta

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A boat carrying people fleeing fresh clashes in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District of the Savannah Region has overturned on the White Volta, leaving an unknown number of passengers feared dead.

The travellers were reportedly escaping violence around Gbenyiri when their vessel sank near the Dinie-Tuonbo stretch of the river.

Savannah Regional Director of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Mahama Zakaria, told the media that six passengers were rescued, but others are still missing.

“The priority now is to save lives and retrieve those still missing,” Mr Zakaria said.

Officials warned that the number of casualties could increase as many displaced residents remain stranded at Dinie while waiting for safe passage.

The White Volta, one of Ghana's largest rivers, has a long history of boat accidents, often linked to overloading, poor safety standards, and a lack of life jackets.

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