MP: Survivors blame human error for boat accident

Accra, Sept. 19, GNA 96 The MP for Krachi West, Mr Francis Yaw Osei-Sarfo, said on Tuesday that survivors of the September 3 boat accident on the Volta Lake blame human error on the part of the owner and operators of the boat.

In a statement issued in Accra, he said the survivors from Brubi, where 12 people perished, said the boat owner and operators refused to heed persistent calls from the passengers to land in view of the gathering clouds and subsequent storm.

They said the boat was in disrepair and the Yiji Boat Owners Association had marked it with red.

Mr Osei-Sarfo said survivors also pointed at negligence as the boat was overloaded with yams and cattle. He said there was an apparent order by the chief of Yeji that no boat could berth before 1400 hours.

The MP said relatives of the deceased were calling for immediate apprehension and prosecution of the boat owner and operators, compensation and relief items.

Mr Osei-Sarfo suggested insurance of boats to cover passengers, surveillance on the lake by the navy, training of boat operators on weather and navigation and provision of pontoons to ply big marketing centres like Kete-Krachi to Abotoase, Kete-Krachi to Yeji and Kpando to Gyemeni. More than 20 people were said to have died when the boat capsized on September 3.