A 10-year-old pupil of Norlivime Bishop Herman Basic School has drowned at the Tetekope beach in the Keta Municipality of the Volta Region.
The deceased, whose name was given as Ericsson Lumor, met his untimely death on September 3, at about 1230 hours, while swimming together with a group of friends at the beach.
The Unit Committee Member, Michael Abotsi Fiator, told the Ghana News Agency that the boy and his playmates went into the sea to swim during their free hours, unaware of the strength of the tide at the section of the shoreline.
“Information l have gathered indicated that the boys, numbering about 6, were swimming in the sea, and in the course of swimming, the deceased was overpowered by the waves and pulled away from his colleagues, who raised an alarm for help,” he said.
He explained that fisherfolk, who were mending their nets and working along the beach at the time, rushed to the scene and dived into the sea to rescue the boy.
He stressed that after several attempts, the body was later retrieved from the water and rushed to the Keta Municipal Hospital, where the boy was pronounced dead on arrival by health officials.
“The body of the deceased has since been deposited at the morgue of the Keta Municipal Hospital for preservation, autopsy and any other examination.”
He mentioned that the incident had thrown the Tetekope community into a state of shock and grief, with many residents describing the deceased as a respectful, hardworking, and promising boy with a brighter future.
The GNA also gathered that the deceased was a class two pupil of Bishop Herman Basic School and was among other students expected to resume academic work in the coming weeks for the next term.
Some residents and opinion leaders in the area have also cautioned children and the youth against swimming in the sea and the lagoon, especially without adult supervision, to avoid such untoward and dangerous situations.
They have also appealed to parents, guardians, and teachers to intensify supervision of children and educate them on the dangers associated with swimming in open water bodies to avert similar occurrences.
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