Two brothers have drowned in an abandoned quarry lake between Donorkope and the Catholic Secretariat in the Akatsi South Municipality of the Volta Region after attempting to rescue their nine year old sibling from drowning.

The deceased have been identified as Felix Dogbey, 18, a Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) graduate, and Christian Dogbey, 25, an employee of a food processing company in Asikuma.

The tragic incident occurred on Thursday, May 15, 2026, at about 4:00 p.m., according to the Akatsi South Directorate of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO).

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, the Akatsi South NADMO Director, Daniel Gidi, said the family had travelled to Donorkope for a funeral where their mother resides. He explained that the group, made up of about nine relatives, later visited the abandoned quarry lake for recreation without guidance from locals familiar with the area.

Mr Gidi said the accident began when the youngest sibling, nine year old Eric Dogbey, started drowning in the water filled quarry pit.

He explained that Felix immediately entered the water in an attempt to rescue his brother but ended up drowning in the process.“Felix, after realising that their brother was calling for help, decided to rescue him but ended up drowning after rescuing his younger brother,” he said.

According to him, Christian, upon noticing the situation, also entered the water in an attempt to save Felix but was likewise overwhelmed by the depth of the quarry pit.

The abandoned site is estimated to be between 18 and 24 metres deep. Mr Gidi disclosed that initial rescue efforts by local divers on Friday, May 15, and Saturday, May 16, were unsuccessful.

He added that personnel from the Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC) at Sogakope Nutekpor were later called in to assist but had to suspend operations on Saturday evening due to poor underwater visibility. “We called for help from the Navy officers, who decided to continue with rescue operations Sunday morning after experiencing poor visibility on Saturday evening inside the water,” he said.

The Akatsi South Municipal Chief Executive, Daniel Dagba, together with officials from NADMO and other stakeholders, visited the scene on Saturday to assess the situation.

However, the bodies of the two brothers were later seen floating on Sunday morning, May 17, before naval officers resumed rescue efforts.

The Assembly Member for the area, Moses Gadri, said the deceased hailed from Akatsi Alagbokope but resided in Asikuma.

Personnel from the Ghana Police Service in Akatsi have since deposited the bodies at the St. Paul’s Hospital morgue pending autopsy.

The incident has left the Donorkope community in deep shock and mourning, as residents grapple with the tragic loss of the two brothers in a desperate attempt to save their younger sibling.