What began as a usual swimming outing for children in an abandoned mining pit at Kotokum in the Atwima Mponua District of the Ashanti Region quickly turned into a disaster by claiming the lives of two minors.

The unfortunate incident was in a newspaper report by the Daily Guide dated June 27, 2023.

An eyewitness named Agya Owusu indicated that on Saturday afternoon, June 24, 2023, a group of eight young boys went swimming in the said mining pit, which had been filled to the brim with water due to previous heavy rainfall.

He added that swimming in this particular abandoned mining pit was a common occurrence for the children of Kotokuom, as it is close to the farming centre of the community.

As a result, no one cautioned them against swimming in that location as it was the norm in the area.

However, on the day of the incident, the heavy downpour had caused the level of water in the rectangular-shaped pit to rise to the brim, giving it the feel of a swimming pool.

The eyewitness, Agya Owusu continued that as three of the children jumped into the pit, they struggled to stay afloat and soon began calling for help.

He added that the cry for help from the children drew the attention of a good Samaritan who managed to rush to the scene to rescue the drowning children.

Although this rescuer managed to retrieve three of the children from the pit, it was too late for two of them who tragically lost their lives.

Agya Owusu added that the third child, who was visibly weakened after gulping a lot of water, was quickly transported to the hospital, where medical personnel worked hard to save his life.

The two who died, aged between 10 and 12, have been buried.

The report also added that the police in the area have begun an investigation into the drowning incident.

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