Italian beekeeping expert killed by Ghanaian bees

Andreas Kamasah 08:13 - 02 September 2019

It is sad how an Italian beekeeper on a voluntary mission to help local Ghanaian bee farmers with ideal beekeeping methods met his untimely death after a swarm of bees attacked him.

Reports say 66-year-old Francesco Ruini was a renowned expert in beekeeping and was in Ghana volunteering at the Africa Liberal, an Italian NGO when his unfortunate death occurred on Monday, August 25.

He was attacked alongside nine other bee farmers during a demonstration session with the bees at Adumasa in the Nkoranza North District of Ghana’s Bono East Region.

The Ghana News Agency reported that Ruini had trapped some bees on a string to demonstrate to local bee farmers the proper ways of beekeeping. However, during the demonstration, a swam of the dreadful insects emerged from nowhere and attacked them.

While the farmers and other victims fled for safety, the deceased was not fortunate to escape the attack timeously.

According to one of the beekeepers, Baffoe Yakubu who is reported to have witnessed the incident, Francesco Ruini was rushed to the hospital for treatment, but was pronounced dead on arrival.

His body was reportedly deposited at a morgue for autopsy.