2 teenagers die in irrigation canal at Ashaiman

Two teenage boys, identified as Kwesi Ammishaddai aka “Ammish” and Daniel Mante, both 13 years, have been found dead in an irrigation canal at Ashaiman Lebanon Zone Two, a community in the Ashaiman Municipality.

The teenagers, who left their homes in search of rabbit feed were found dead in the canal after some passersby noticed something unusual and raised an alarm prompting other neighbours to throng the area in an attempt to save them.

A rescue team entered the canal to bring out the boys, but they were found dead leading to the anxious bystanders including families of the deceased to wail uncontrollably, while others were filming the incident on their smartphones.

Mr Baba Abugri, father of Ammish, told the Ghana News Agency at Ashiaman amidst tears and a trembling voice that, he left the house for work and handed some money to Ammish and his two siblings, but he later received a distress call in the afternoon which made him rush back home to find his boy and his friend lifeless.

He described his son as a good, hardworking and respectful young boy who, at his age, took to the rearing of rabbits domestically.

Mr Jacob Teye Mante, uncle of Daniel, narrating the incident said, he was informed that the boys left the house in search of rabbit feed, but in their attempt to pull out some feed close to the canal, Ammish tripped into it, and Daniel who tried to rescue him, also ended up in the canal leading to their death.

He said he subsequently reported to the Ashaiman North Police Charge Office at about 1130 hours on Wednesday and accompanied the police to the scene.

Ms Florence Mante, who is Daniel’s sister, said, following their delay to bring the rabbit feed, she went to the grocery shop but intuitively decided to search for them, but was told they had fallen into the canal.

According to her, even though Daniel did not own rabbits, he mostly joined his friend Ammish on the feed search as school was on recess, explaining that they had been advised not to go as far as the canal but they did not heed the advice.

Meanwhile, Chief Inspector Stella Dede Dzakpasu, Acting Public Relations Officer of the Tema Regional Police Command, who confirmed the incident to the Ghana News Agency at Tema, said, the police visited the scene and found the lifeless bodies brought out.

She said: “We did not find any marks of violence on the bodies during preliminary examination and have been deposited at the Police Hospital Mortuary for preservation and autopsy to ascertain their of death”.

She said preliminary investigations had commenced into the circumstances leading to their death and cautioned parents to ensure that their children stayed out of that area to prevent further mishaps.