The body of one person has been retrieved, with a search underway for another, after two people allegedly drowned in River Offin at Anwiafutu in the Atwima Mponua District of the Ashanti region.

The incident occurred on Monday, January 30, 2023, when the deceased, 17-year-old Kwabena Anane, and 18-year-old Atta Derrick, who is still missing in the river, went in search of gold in an abandoned galamsey pit.

According to residents, they were chased by some persons suspected to be forest guards while searching for gold and in the process drowned in the river.

Although they were five, three managed to escape while the two teenagers could not, the residents revealed.

A resident told Class FM’s Elisha Adarkwah that: “Someone came to mine here, the remnants, I think there’s money in it, so the children sometimes, come to collect it and wash it, so they also get some money.

“Yesterday they came again, the Forestry people also came. They were 5, instead of waiting to be arrested, 3 came out of the pit and 1 was arrested. The other 2 were trapped in there. One body has been found and they’re still searching for the other.”

He indicated that the two teenagers tried to swim out, but the suspected forest guards pelted them with stones denying them the opportunity to escape.

A search is currently underway to retrieve the body of the 18-year-old from the river.