Tragedy at KNUST: Student Dies After 17.6ft Dive into Campus Pool

The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) is in mourning following the tragic death of a third-year student who drowned after diving from a high platform into the university’s swimming pool.

The deceased has been identified as David Osei Agyapong, a Level 300 Chemical Engineering student. According to an official statement released by the university’s management, the incident occurred at approximately 5:10 p.m. on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at the campus swimming pool.

Reports indicate that Mr. Agyapong entered the water from one of the upper diving boards—a springboard reported to be 17.6 feet high—but failed to resurface. A video circulating on social media captured the student’s final jump, showing him plunging into the water before disappearing beneath the surface.

Pool attendants and other swimmers immediately launched an emergency rescue effort. Mr. Agyapong was pulled from the water and rushed to the KNUST Hospital for emergency medical care. Despite efforts to resuscitate him, he was pronounced dead.

The university has described the deceased as an experienced swimmer who was a regular user of the swimming facility. He was also a member of the KNUST basketball team and an old student of Adisadel College. “His passing is a painful loss to the University community,” management stated.

The KNUST Police have commenced investigations to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident. The body of the deceased has been deposited at the morgue of the School of Medical Sciences (SMS) pending an autopsy to determine the cause of death. The university has confirmed that the family of the deceased has been informed.

The tragedy has sparked an outpouring of grief on social media, with several users, including old schoolmates, paying tribute to the young student. The incident has also raised questions about safety protocols at the university’s swimming facility, which features a three-tier diving platform and an Olympic-sized pool.

This incident adds to a growing concern regarding student safety at Ghanaian public universities. According to a review by JoyNews Research, at least 13 students across major public universities have died from non-natural causes since 2024, with KNUST recording a notable share of these tragedies.

Management has extended its deepest condolences to the family, friends, teammates, and colleagues of the deceased. The university has appealed to the public to respect the privacy of the bereaved family and to refrain from speculation or the circulation of unverified information while investigations and the medical examination are being conducted.