Five people have drowned when a vehicle they were traveling in veered off at a section of the Dabaa-Akropong road and plunged into the Owabi River in the Ashanti region.

The deceased include the driver of the private Opel saloon car, her two daughters and two other passengers; a plumber and a lady teacher of the Akropong Roman Catholic Basic School.

The woman behind the steering wheel of the Opel saloon car is yet to be identified. But eyewitnesses say the car plunged into the river which had overflown its banks after recent rains.

A rescue team, including personnel from the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), Fire Service and Police spent hours to retrieve four bodies from the river on Tuesday morning.

With the help of local divers, the lifeless bodies were retrieved as by-standers broke down in tears.

The children were dressed in their school uniforms, suggesting they were on their way to school.

Presiding Member of the Atwima Nwabiagya North District Assembly, Francis Bobie-Ansah, who witnessed the rescue effort, described the accident as unfortunate.

He told Nhyira FM the circumstances leading to the accident and the drowning of the deceased, which occurred at about 6 a.m., remain unclear.

Mr. Bobie-Ansah is however, certain the overflown banks of the Owabi River may have contributed to the accident.

The bodies of the deceased persons have been deposited at the morgue for preservation whilst police investigations continue.