Five people tragically drowned when a vehicle veered off the Dabaa-Akropong road, crashing into the swollen Owabi River in Ghana’s Ashanti Region. The victims include the driver of the private Opel saloon car, her two daughters, a plumber, and a teacher from Akropong Roman Catholic Basic School.

The driver, yet to be identified, lost control of the vehicle, reportedly due to the river overflowing its banks after recent heavy rains. Eyewitnesses say the Opel saloon car plunged into the river, resulting in the tragic incident.

A joint rescue team, including personnel from the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), the Fire Service, and local police, worked for hours on Tuesday morning to retrieve the bodies. With assistance from local divers, the deceased, including schoolchildren dressed in their uniforms, were finally recovered as onlookers mourned.

Francis Bobie-Ansah, Presiding Member of the Atwima Nwabiagya North District Assembly and a witness at the scene, described the incident as a heartbreaking tragedy. Speaking to Nhyira FM, he noted that while the exact cause of the accident remains unclear, the overflowing Owabi River may have played a role in the vehicle veering off course.

The bodies of the victims have been sent to the morgue, and police investigations are ongoing to uncover further details surrounding the accident.