A British nurse named Millie Ann Gentry who came to Ghana recently has reportedly died after after going for a midnight swim with friends during her volunteer placement.
The 19-year-old from Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire, was only two weeks into her one-month program when the drowning incident took place on March 17 last year. The details of the tragedy have recently been disclosed as the inquest into her death commenced this week.
Ms. Gentry was residing in Busua, a beach resort town in southern Ghana, with her friend Erin Byrnes from Halifax. Despite a 10.30 pm curfew, the trio, including their friend Lewis Mallinson, decided to take a late-night swim after consuming alcohol at a beach bar.
Unfortunately, they were met with strong waves, leading to a devastating outcome. Ms Byrnes, admitting she was not a strong swimmer, recounted to the coroners’ court that the current was overpowering, causing them to be pulled in.
“I laid on my back, screaming for help. I was so close to giving up,” she said.
She and Mr Mallinson were able to make it back to the beach and call for help to find Ms Gentry but sadly her body was found four hours later.
Mr Mallinson said that several local villages had joined the effort to help save Ms Gentry. A post mortem revealed that she had a head injury.
The Ghana placement was described as the “trip of a lifetime” for Ms Gentry, according to The Mirror, who also mentioned her boyfriend Elvis.
