A 19-year-old Junior High School student, Shadrach Addy has drowned in the Densu River after sneaking out of school to swim with friends.

The incident occured at Oparekrom in Nsawam Adoagyiri municipality in Eastern region on Thursday June 14, 2023 but body was retrieved next day.

According to witnesses, on the fateful day, the deceased student of Tieku Basic School and his friends went to river Densu to swim without asking for permission from teachers.

While swimming at about 2:00pm , Shadrach drowned as all effort to rescue him failed.

The body was swept away by the river but retrieved the next morning around 10:30am.

The body has been deposited at Nsawam government hospital morgue pending investigation by Police.

According to WHO, drowning is a leading cause of accidental death worldwide.

Every year, an estimated 236,000 people drown, making drowning a major public health issue globally.

Drowning is one of the leading causes of death globally for children and young people aged 1-24 years.

It is the third leading cause of unintentional injury death, accounting for 7% of all injury-related deaths.

The global burden of death from drowning is felt in all economies and regions, however:low- and middle-income countries account for over 90% of unintentional drowning deaths.