Tragic Drowning Claims Lives of Mother and Three Sons in Abandoned Galamsey Pit at Wassa Dunkwa
A 42-year-old woman and her three young sons tragically drowned on Saturday, February 28, after entering a water-filled, abandoned illegal mining (galamsey) pit while searching for firewood near Wassa Dunkwa.
According to local sources speaking to Citi News, the family had gone into the bush to gather firewood when the three boys — led by their 14-year-old elder brother — reached the dangerous site ahead of their mother. The pit, left unreclaimed after illegal mining operations, had become heavily waterlogged and appeared deceptively like a pond.
The boys reportedly entered the water, possibly to play or cool off. When their mother arrived and realised they were in distress and struggling to get out, she attempted to rescue them. She too got into difficulty and was unable to save herself or the children.
All four family members — the mother and her three sons — drowned. Their bodies were later recovered by officers from the Asankragwa Divisional Police Command and conveyed to the morgue at the Catholic Hospital for preservation and autopsy.
The Public Relations Officer of the Western Central Police Command, ASP Beatrice Turkson, confirmed the incident and stated that investigations are ongoing to establish the full circumstances.
“A detailed statement will be issued in due course,” ASP Turkson said.
The tragedy has once again highlighted the deadly risks posed by abandoned and unreclaimed galamsey pits across mining communities in Ghana. These water-filled craters often become hidden death traps, especially for children and unsuspecting locals who mistake them for natural ponds or watering holes.
Local leaders and residents have renewed calls for urgent government action to reclaim and fill dangerous mining pits, enforce stricter regulations on small-scale mining operators, and intensify public education on the hazards of illegal mining sites.
The Amenfi West District Assembly and traditional authorities are expected to support the bereaved family, while police continue their probe into how the pit remained open and unprotected despite known safety risks.
This heartbreaking loss brings the human cost of unregulated galamsey back into sharp focus, as communities across the Western Region continue to grapple with the environmental and safety legacy of illegal mining. Our deepest condolences go to the grieving family and the entire Wassa Dunkwa community during this painful time.
