11-year-old boy drowns in Owabi River at Akropong

An 11-year-old boy has drowned in the Owabi River at Akropong in the Ashanti Region after he reportedly went swimming with about six other boys.

The incident occurred on Monday morning, following heavy rainfall the previous day which caused the river to overflow its banks.

According to reports, the boys were swimming in the river when three of them suddenly got trapped in the water. Their colleagues managed to rescue two of the boys, but the third was swept away by the strong current.

The boys reportedly returned home in panic and informed residents about the incident, prompting a search for the missing child.

Efforts by residents to locate and rescue him initially proved unsuccessful.

The Assemblyman for the Akropong Electoral Area, Isaac Kofi Nti, said the boy’s body was eventually found on Tuesday, about 24 hours after the incident, following the intervention of traditional leaders in the community.

According to him, the chiefs performed traditional rites in the river before the body was located.

The deceased, whose name and other personal details had not been disclosed, has since been handed over to his bereaved family.

Mr Nti has subsequently cautioned young people in the community against swimming in rivers, particularly during the rainy season when rising water levels and strong currents increase the risk of drowning.