GHANA- Ghanaians awoke to the shocking news of over 20 children including teenagers drowning in the sea in Apam in the Central region of Ghana on March 7, 2021.
According to the Apam District Police Commander, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Mr Moses Osakonor, his outfit got the message around 6 pm on Sunday and rushed to the scene. Three of the children survived the tragic incident after being rescued on Sunday. 12 bodies were retrieved on Monday. So far, 14 bodies have been retrieved.
A video shows some of the retrieved bodies wrapped in cloths and sent to the families amidst wailing with some of the town folks following the bodies.
An intensive search for the remaining bodies is ongoing by the police and the locals this morning.
The locals were informed by the police and the traditional leaders to go to the Apam morgue to identify the bodies. Some parents have already identified their relatives.
As Ghanaians could not come to terms with the sad news, many wonder how such a number could drown while swimming.
It has been confirmed by the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Moses Osakonor who spoke to Joy News that the tragic disaster occurred at about 5 pm when the children stealthily went through an illegal route through a lagoon to the beach to swim.
Due to the ban on beach activities and closure due to covid-19, their secret agenda was unnoticed.
Unfortunately, a heavy tide rose, carrying them away causing their drowning. Three survivors were rescued by the timely intervention of Good Samaritan and sent to the St. Luke Hospital for treatment.
A survivor, a 14-year-old boy informed the police that they were more than 20 in the water and could not recollect the specific number.
Interestingly, some fishermen blame the gods and stated, “it’s either the children went very deep as compared to where they usually swim or they did something against the water ‘spiritually'” as reported by Yaw Boagyan of Starr Fm.
Some Ghanaians are calling for an investigation to establish the cause of the drowning to avert future incidents.
APAM
Apam is a coastal fishing town and the capital of Gomoa West District in the Central Region of Ghana, located approximately 45 kilometres east of the Central Region capital, Cape Coast.
Tourist attractions in Apam include Fort Lijdzaamheid or Fort Patience, a Dutch-built fort built-in 1702. The Benyah Lagoon is used to produce salt.
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Renate is a lawyer, publicist, and writer. She believes that education and information is the key to developing and shaping Africa. In her free time, she paints beautiful art pieces on canvas. Renate believes that life is a perception, and you live it the way you perceive it.
