A 42-year-old woman and her three sons have tragically lost their lives after drowning in an abandoned illegal mining pit at Wassa Dunkwa in the Amenfi West Municipality of the Western Region.
The incident happened on Saturday afternoon when the family reportedly went into a nearby bush to fetch firewood close to a galamsey site.
An eyewitness who spoke to Joy News said it is common for residents to visit the area to collect dried cocoa trees for firewood.
After gathering the wood and placing it by the roadside, the children allegedly entered a nearby water-filled pit left behind by illegal miners. Moments later, they began to struggle in the water.
Their mother, noticing that her children were in danger, rushed to rescue them. Unfortunately, she was unable to save them and also drowned.
The bodies were later retrieved and conveyed to the morgue at the Catholic Hospital in Asankragwa.
Police in Asankragwa have since launched investigations into the incident.
Assembly Member for Wassa Dunkwa, Paul Kata, confirmed the development to Joy News.
The tragedy has renewed concerns over the persistent threat posed by uncovered and abandoned galamsey pits across communities in the Western Region, many of which become filled with water and pose serious risks to residents.
