Two Naval officers drown whilst chasing illegal miners

Two Ghanaian naval officers yet to be identified, drowned in the Pra River Saturday afternoon during a joint military and police operation to clamp down on illegal mining activities polluting the river, officials have said.

The victims were crossing the river to effect the arrest of some illegal miners, locally called, 'galamseyers' when the boat in which they were traveling reportedly capsized.

One officer tried to save the other who was drowning but they both drowned.

Joy News correspondent William Benjamin Peters reported that both officers were without life jackets.

Residents of sheltered Krobo poured libation before the bodies were retrieved from the river by local divers.

Two police officers who were also in the boat were however rescued.

The bodies of the deceased have been deposited at the Effia Nkwanta Hospital morgue.

According to Western Regional Police Commander, DCOP Ransford Ninsin, the security personnel were deployed to the area after several reports that activities of the illegal miners had resulted in the pollution of the Pra River.

The River, he noted, is where the Ghana Water Company, takes its source for treatment and supply to many communities, including Sekondi and Takoradi.

He said unknown to the security officers, the miners had mined the bank of the River which caused the officers to slip and fell into the River while attempting to step out of their canoe. No arrests have been made yet.

More soon..