The Sekondi community is grieving following the tragic death of 20-year-old George Mends, who drowned on Monday, January 5, after being pulled into deeper water by a sudden sea current.

Eyewitnesses said the incident occurred under deceptively calm conditions along the sea defence wall near the Sekondi market area.

Mends had been bathing with a group of friends, including his younger brother, when the unexpected current swept him away.

According to witnesses, the water initially reached only waist-high, but quickly deepened, catching the group off guard.

David, a teenage friend of the victim, described the terrifying experience.

“We were in the water, and the sea level was just around our navel. But suddenly, our feet couldn’t touch the ground any longer. George panicked.

"Our attempt to rescue him nearly got me drowned, too. He doesn’t know how to swim, and the current swept him away in a short time,” he recounted.

Residents quickly responded to the screams for help, but despite immediate rescue efforts, Mends could not be saved. The incident has left the local community in shock and mourning.