Community members and security agencies are searching for the body of a 20-year-old water tanker attendant who drowned in a water-filled quarry pit at Mpobi in the Afigya Kwabre South District of the Ashanti Region.

The deceased has been identified as Kwame Owusu.

According to eyewitnesses, Owusu and his driver had gone to the quarry site of MMM Quarry Limited to fetch water for an ongoing construction project when the incident occurred on Tuesday, April 28, at about 2:00 p.m.

Residents said the young man entered the deep pit to swim while the tanker was being filled, but was suddenly dragged beneath the water and did not resurface.

“He went into the water while the tanker was being loaded, but after some moments we realised he had gone under and was not coming back,” an eyewitness recounted.

The incident triggered frantic rescue attempts by some community members, but they were unable to locate him.

Authorities were later alerted, leading to the deployment of personnel from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the Ghana National Fire Service and the Police.

Rescue teams searched the quarry pit for several hours on Tuesday but were unable to retrieve the body before nightfall.

The operation resumed on Wednesday morning after traditional authorities in Mpobi reportedly performed customary rites believed to facilitate the recovery process.

Local leaders explained that such rites are traditionally observed whenever a drowning occurs in a water body within the community.

As of Wednesday afternoon, nearly 24 hours after the incident, the body had still not been recovered.

Security personnel and volunteers remained at the site, continuing the search.

The incident has renewed concerns about safety around abandoned or water-filled quarry pits in parts of Ghana, where deep excavations often pose risks to residents, workers and children, especially during the rainy season.

Authorities are expected to continue recovery efforts while investigations into the circumstances surrounding the drowning proceed.