Seven fishermen missing as search widens for canoe off Ghana’s coast
The canoe Second Chance left Sekondi on October 9 for a fishing expedition off Axim. Authorities are investigating a possible engine failure, but its last known position remains unconfirmed.
A multi-agency search is under way for seven fishermen whose canoe has not returned from a fishing expedition off Axim in Ghana’s Western Region.
The vessel, Second Chance, departed Sekondi Fishing Harbour on October 9. Repeated attempts to contact its crew have been unsuccessful, according to police.
An update received during preliminary investigations suggested that the canoe might have suffered engine failure and drifted towards Tema and the Volta coast. Police said its last known position had yet to be confirmed.
The Western Regional Marine Police Command is coordinating the search with the Ghana Navy, Ghana Maritime Authority, Fisheries Commission and fishing communities along the coast.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, October 20, police said the canoe’s owner, Nana Kweku Atta, reported its disappearance at the Fishing Harbour Police Station in Sekondi on October 18.
The statement was signed by Chief Superintendent of Police Olivia Et Adiku, Head of the Western Regional Public Affairs Unit.
Uncertainty about the vessel’s location has led authorities to seek assistance across several coastal areas.
The Western Naval Command, Ghana Maritime Authority, Fisheries Commission, coastal police stations and chief fishermen have been alerted. The Eastern Naval Command in Tema has also been notified to support the search.
Police have appealed to fishermen and coastal residents to report any sightings of Second Chance, or other credible information about the vessel and its crew, to the nearest police station.
All seven crew members remain unaccounted for.