The Sekondi community is in mourning following the tragic drowning of 20-year-old George Mends on Monday, January 5.
The incident occurred under what eyewitnesses describe as deceptively calm conditions along the sea defense wall near the Sekondi market area.
Mends was bathing in the sea with a group of friends, including his younger brother, when a sudden and powerful current pulled him into deeper water.
Despite being in an area where the water initially reached only waist-high, witnesses reported a rapid and unexpected change in the sea’s behavior.
In an exclusive account, David, a teenage friend of the victim who narrowly escaped the same fate, recounted the harrowing moments.
“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 narrated.
The alarming screams from the group alerted residents and prompted an immediate rescue effort.
Francis, a member of the local rescue team, described the frantic scene.
“We were alerted by the screams. We rushed to the sea and saw two of the boys being carried away. We managed to save one, but the other was swept by the currents. There was nothing more we could do,” he said, his voice heavy with regret.
The tragedy swiftly reverberated through the neighborhood. Angela, a resident, described the family’s devastating reaction.
“The stepmother was drawn out into the street by the screams of her stepson’s name. She collapsed right there when she heard the news.”
The victim’s stepmother, identified as Rose Ankomah, was rushed to Essikado Government Hospital, where she is reportedly responding to treatment after suffering from shock.
As of the time of filing this report, the body of George Mends has not been recovered. Local authorities and community volunteers continue their search along the coastline.
