Three children and one adult died in Morocco’s rural commune of Ouad Essafa, in the province of Chtouka-Aït Baha, southern Morocco, after drowning in a water basin used for irrigation on a local farm on Saturday, local media reported.
One of the boys reportedly fell into the basin, and a second child attempted to rescue him but also fell in and drowned. A third boy followed suit, trying to save the first two, but met the same fate.
The fourth child ran to alert the mother of two of the victims. Upon arriving at the scene, the woman died after she slipped and fell into the same basin.
Local residents called the authorities, and rescue teams from the Royal Gendarmerie and Civil Protection rushed to the scene. The authorities have launched an investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the accident.
The deadly incident has shocked locals and highlighted the risks posed by insecure water basins in agricultural areas.