The body of a 14-year-old boy believed to be part of those that drowned at sea at Apam in the Central Region has been retrieved.
The Central Regional Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Irene Oppong, who confirmed the incident, said the body of a boy was recovered yesterday morning by the search party.
She said it was in a state of decomposition when it was discovered yesterday morning, bringing the number to 14, the bodies recovered so far.
Three others, who were rescued alive, are still on admission receiving treatment.
She said the rescue team was still working to ensure that all the bodies are retrieved.
It emerged that there were 10 boys and two girls who lost their lives.
They have been identified as Gilbert Assandoh, Isaac Affisah, Adwoa Vi, Joshua Hammond, Prince Peprah, John Arthur, Christopher Ewusi, Ebenezer Forson, Benjamin Narh, Kweku Atta, and King Beri Addison.
One other girl is yet to be identified by the authorities.
Majority of the victims are from Apam, while two are said to have come from Gomoa Ankamu near Apam Junction, and one girl from Cape Coast.
Meanwhile, the other bodies that were recovered last Sunday are expected to be given a mass burial.
The Gomoa West Security Council at an emergency meeting on Wednesday concluded arrangements with families of at least 13 of the victims over the burial.
Officers from the Police Marine Department, according to the DCE for Gomoa West, Bismark B. Inkoom, have joined efforts to retrieve bodies believed to remain in the sea.
A Deputy Chief Fishermen in Apam, Nana Ekow Paynin, on Tuesday, gave detailed account of how teenagers lost their lives in the sea whilst swimming last Sunday with three survivors who were in critical condition.
They had sneaked to the estuary of the River Apam to have fun but never returned, and the incident was only detected the following day (Monday) by some fishermen who saw bodies floating ashore.
He said he would not rule out superstition connected to the deadly incident and also said the claims that some of the victims might have been having sex in the water could be true because the area where they were was a sacred place.
He said some fishermen started pulling out bodies in the early hours on Monday, and by the close of the day 11 bodies had been discovered and retrieved from the sea.
According to him, empty beer and Guinness bottles were found at the seashore, suggesting the victims might have been drinking alcohol.
Also, according to one of the teenagers, who claimed to have been part of the trip, they were 25 people in all that went swimming.
Body Identification
Nana Panyin said relatives of nine of the deceased teenagers had been identified and the families traced.
He said they were finding it difficult to identify three of the bodies because they were not sure the teenagers were from Apam.
“We have been able to retrieve 12 bodies. We are appealing to parents who are in the Central Region and whose wards are yet to return home to come to Apam and confirm whether or not the unidentified bodies are those of their wards,” he added.
“No one has been visiting the sea. We issued strong warnings to ensure no one goes to the sea. We will just conclude that these kids are just stubborn because they were swimming in areas that were forbidden,” he added.
Rituals and libation had been poured to pacify the gods, which the Chief Fisherman said, helped in retrieving about eight bodies, but it was believed some of the children were still inside the water.
By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey