KNUST shuts swimming pool; probes death of Level 300 student

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has temporarily halted all activities at its swimming pool after the tragic death of a third-year Chemical Engineering student, David Osei Agyapong, on Saturday, November 7, 2026. The student reportedly jumped into the pool from an upper diving board but was unable to resurface.

University officials confirmed that pool attendants retrieved the student from the water after a few minutes and rushed him to KNUST Hospital, where medical personnel attempted but failed to revive him.

Dr Daniel Norris Bekoe, the University’s Relations Officer, revealed that a nine-member committee has been formed to investigate the circumstances surrounding the student's death. This committee will operate concurrently with ongoing Police investigations to determine what transpired at the swimming pool. The presence of no visible marks or cuts on the deceased's body has prompted the need for a comprehensive inquiry.

The Police are conducting separate investigations, while the student's body has been taken to the School of Medical Sciences morgue for an autopsy to establish the exact cause of death.

In response to the incident, KNUST has closed the swimming pool indefinitely until the investigations are concluded. The University has extended its condolences to the bereaved family, friends, teammates, and members of the university community. Moreover, the institution has respectfully requested the public to maintain privacy for the family and refrain from speculating as the investigations progress.