The boat capsized on Saturday while transporting passengers from Dorkorchina to Kpandai in the Bono East region, authorities said.

The Bole district director of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Kipo Sulemana, said that the boat, which was overloaded with passengers and goods, hit a tree stump in the river and capsized.

Mr Sulemana said the area of the accident was inaccessible, making the search and rescue efforts difficult. He said locals were helping to find the missing people.

Two people swam to safety and none of the other passengers on the boat was wearing a life jacket, local media said.