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 has been retrieved after an intensive search.

The deceased, identified as Kwame Owusu, was recovered around 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, nearly 24 hours after he went missing in the deep quarry pit.

According to eyewitnesses, Owusu had accompanied his driver to the MMM Quarry Limited site at Mpobi to fetch water for an ongoing construction project when the tragedy occurred.

Residents said the young man entered the water to swim while the tanker was being filled but was suddenly pulled under and failed to resurface.

The incident happened at about 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 28, 2026.

Initial attempts by community members to rescue him were unsuccessful, leading to calls for assistance from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the Ghana National Fire Service and the Police.

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

The search resumed on Wednesday morning, with traditional authorities in Mpobi reportedly performing customary rites ahead of the recovery efforts.

Local leaders said such rites are traditionally observed when drowning incidents occur in water bodies within the community.

After hours of renewed efforts, the body was finally retrieved later in the afternoon.

It has since been deposited at the morgue pending further police investigations.

The incident has renewed concerns about safety around quarry sites and water-filled pits, especially in communities where such locations are frequently accessed for commercial water supply or recreational swimming.

Authorities are expected to continue investigations into the circumstances surrounding the drowning.