Grief has engulfed the community of Wassa Dunkwa in the Amenfi West Municipality, following the tragic drowning of a 42-year-old mother and her three young sons, in an abandoned galamsey pit.
The heartbreaking incident occurred last Saturday afternoon, when the family had gone to gather firewood near a galamsey site at the outskirts of the town.
According to an eyewitness who spoke to a local radio station in the area, Green Gold FM/TV, the area is often used by residents to collect dry cocoa trees for firewood.
After gathering the wood, the children, the eldest just 14 years old, reportedly dropped their load by the roadside and wandered toward a nearby pit, left behind by illegal mining activities.
The pit, now filled with stagnant water, has become a dangerous trap in the area, the witness told the local radio station.
Moments later, the boys were seen struggling in the pit for survival. The mother, after realising that her children were drowning, rushed to their aid without hesitation.
In a desperate attempt to save them, she jumped into the water. But the pit proved too deep and treacherous. Instead of rescuing her sons, she also became trapped.
By the time help could be summoned, it was too late. All four lives were lost.
Personnel from the Asankrangwa Divisional Police Command arrived at the scene and conveyed the bodies to the Asankragwa Catholic Hospital, where they have been deposited at the morgue, pending autopsy.
The tragedy has once again drawn attention to the deadly hazards posed by abandoned galamsey pits scattered across many communities in the Western Region.
Residents say several of such uncovered pits remain in and around Wassa Dunkwa, posing constant danger, especially to children.
As the community mourns, many are left asking how many more lives must be lost before a decisive action is taken to reclaim and secure these deadly remnants of illegal mining.
For now, a family is gone – a mother trying to save her children and three young boys whose playful moment ended in unimaginable tragedy.
