Mother and three sons drown in abandoned galamsey pit at Wassa Dunkwa
2nd March 2026
A 42-year-old woman and her three sons have tragically drowned in an abandoned illegal mining pit at Wassa Dunkwa in the Amenfi West Municipality of Ghana’s Western Region.
The incident occurred on Saturday afternoon when the family reportedly went to gather firewood near a galamsey site.
According to an eyewitness , residents frequently visit the area to collect dried cocoa trees for firewood.
After assembling the firewood and placing it by the roadside, the children are said to have entered a nearby water-filled pit left behind by illegal miners.
The pit quickly became a death trap when the children began to struggle in the water.
Their mother reportedly rushed in an attempt to rescue them but was unable to save her sons and also drowned in the process.
The bodies were later retrieved and transported to the morgue at the Catholic Hospital in Asankragwa.
Police at Asankragwa have since launched investigations into the incident.
The Assembly Member for Wassa Dunkwa, Paul Kata, confirmed the tragedy.
The incident has once again highlighted the dangers posed by abandoned galamsey pits across communities in the Western Region, renewing calls for stricter enforcement and reclamation efforts to prevent further loss of life.