A 49-year-old farmer, identified as Isaac Buckman, has gone missing after a canoe carrying five passengers capsized on River Bobie Fum at Assin Dansame in the Assin North District of the Central Region.
The incident occurred around 10:00 a.m. on Thursday as the passengers, made up of four men and a young woman believed to be in her early 20s, were returning from their farms across the river.
According to reports, one of the passengers suddenly jumped into the water midway through the journey, causing the canoe to lose balance and overturn.
Four of the five occupants were rescued by residents and officers from the Ghana Police Service. However, Isaac Buckman remains missing.
The Assin North District Police Command, led by Superintendent Eric Yao Avudzivi, launched a joint search operation together with traditional authorities and community members to locate the missing farmer.
Search efforts were suspended Thursday evening due to poor visibility but resumed Friday morning.
Assembly Member for the area, Mark Nti Ballack, explained that recent heavy rains had made crossing the river increasingly dangerous.
He noted that the victims came from two nearby communities — three from Assin Praso and two from Assin Dansame — and depend on the canoe as their primary means of transportation across the river.
Community leaders have expressed concern over the continued use of canoes on the river, describing the situation as a serious safety risk for both farmers and schoolchildren.
According to opinion leaders, the latest incident marks the third canoe-related accident on the river within the past year, with at least three people reportedly losing their lives in previous accidents.
