Chilling account of how 20 teenagers drowned at Apam

On Sunday, March 6, 2021, about 20 teenagers were reported to have drowned at the Apam river with 13 bodies being recovered.

The District Police Commander of the area, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Moses Osakonor, in a Joy News report sighted by GhanaWeb has provided a detailed account of the drowning incident which has led to the loss of 13 lives likely to go up with time.

According to the District Commander, the incident occurred around 5 pm on Sunday when the teenagers, disregarded the President's ban on beach activities put in place to manage the spread of COVID-19, and went to the area to have fun by swimming.

The teenagers are said to have been swept away by a heavy tidal wave which came in while they swam.

Two of the teenagers were however rescued by the timely intervention of some Good Samaritans and were sent to the St. Luke Hospital for medical attention.

The search for the remaining victims is said to have continued deep into the night without yielding any results.

However, at about 7 am Monday morning, the search team retrieved four dead bodies and further retrieved 3 others after three hours.

In total, the team reportedly retrieved 13 dead bodies made up of 2 females and 11 males as of Tuesday morning.

News of the demise of the teenagers have thrown their communities into a state of mourning. According to reports, they come from various households in the Apam township and environs including Cape Coast.

Parents who are yet to receive news about the whereabouts of their wards have also been thrown into a state of worry and uncertainty.

Reports further note that the victims are between ages 10 and 17.