File photo of galamsey pit filled with water
A 42-year-old woman and her three sons have reportedly died after drowning in a galamsey pit at Wassa Dunkwa in the Amenfi West Municipality of the Western Region.
The tragic incident occurred on Saturday, February 28, 2026, when the family reportedly went to fetch firewood near a galamsey site.
According to a JoyNews report on March 2, 2026, residents in the area often visit the location to collect dried cocoa twigs for firewood.
An eyewitness affirmed that “after gathering the firewood and placing it by the roadside, the children decided to swim in a nearby pit left behind by illegal miners. The pit had been filled with water and the children went to swim in it, and began to drown,” the eyewitness said.
Three children drown in galamsey pits, two rescued
“Their mother, upon noticing the distress of her children, rushed in to rescue them. However, she was unable to save them and also drowned in the process,” the eyewitness stated.
The bodies have been retrieved and conveyed to the morgue at the Catholic Hospital in Asankragwa.
Police at Asankrangwa have commenced investigations into the issue.
The incident has renewed concerns about the dangers posed by abandoned galamsey pits in many communities across the Western Region.
SO/VPO
Source:
www.ghanaweb.com
