Photo: Daily Graphic
Incident Summary
| Incident Type | Engine failure / canoe adrift at sea; seven fishers missing |
|---|---|
| Canoe | Second Chance |
| Canoe Owner | Nana Kweku Atta |
| Date of Departure | Friday, 9 October 2026 |
| Date Reported Missing | Sunday, 18 October 2026 |
| Date Rescued | Night of Wednesday, 21 October 2026 (located at about 10:36 p.m.) |
| Date Returned to Ghana | Thursday, 22 October 2026 |
| Departure Point | Ngyeresia landing beach, Sekondi, Western Region |
| Fishing Ground | Offshore Axim, Western Region |
| Location Found | Beninese waters, near Grand-Popo, Benin (about 120 nautical miles / 220 km from where the canoe broke down) |
| Number of Fishers on Board | Seven |
| Persons Affected | 1. Kwamena Akyem (40) – group leader 2. Kofi Emmanuel (32) 3. Uncle Amoah (45) 4. Kwamena Nkum (29) 5. Kofi Aboagye (36) 6. Doboa (35) 7. Agya Badu (42) |
| Nature of Incident | Outboard motor failure; canoe drifted east with wind and currents through Togolese waters into Benin |
| Casualties / Fatalities | None. All seven fishers survived and were reported in good condition. |
| Response | Western Regional Marine Police Command • Ghana Navy • Ghana Air Force • Fisheries Commission • Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) • Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) • National Signal Bureau • National Security • Togolese and Beninese navies • Local Beninese fishermen • ECOWAS regional maritime framework |
| Outcome | Crew rescued and repatriated; canoe drifted far outside Ghanaian waters; entire fish catch thrown overboard |
| Source | Western Regional Marine Police Command; Ghana Navy; Fisheries Commission; Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture; Ghana National Association of Farmers and Fishermen (GNAFF); media reports (GNA, Daily Graphic, Ghanaian Times) |
Sequence of Events
Friday, 9 October – Departure
The seven-member crew of the canoe Second Chance set off from the Ngyeresia landing beach in Sekondi for a fishing trip in the waters off Axim in the Western Region.
Engine failure at sea
While at sea, the canoe’s outboard motor stopped abruptly. With no engine power and strong winds, the crew could not steer the canoe back to shore. The canoe was left at the mercy of the winds and currents and began drifting eastward along the coast, away from the Western Region.
Days adrift
The fishers had taken food and water for the trip, but one of the crew, Kwamena Nkum, said their supplies ran out after about five days. To make the canoe lighter, the crew threw their fish catch back into the sea. The group leader, Kwamena Akyem, said the men prayed throughout the ordeal.
Sunday, 18 October – Reported missing
As the days passed with no word from the crew, the canoe owner, Nana Kweku Atta, reported the seven men missing at the Fishing Harbour Police Station in Sekondi, after distress calls were received from the stranded crew. The Western Regional Marine Police Command began a search in collaboration with the Ghana Navy, GMA, the Fisheries Commission and fishing communities. At the time, it was suspected that the canoe had suffered engine failure and was drifting toward Tema and the Volta coast.
20–21 October – Search operation
On 20 October, the Fisheries Commission sent a distress alert to the Ghana Navy. Three Ghana Navy ships were deployed for the search, while the Navy’s Special Boat Squadron, working with National Security and the Ghana Air Force, carried out maritime air patrols. The search was coordinated under the ECOWAS Integrated Maritime Strategy and the Yaoundé Architecture, with support from the regional maritime coordination centres for Zones E and F. On 21 October, the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture publicly expressed concern over the missing canoe and crew.
Wednesday, 21 October – Crew located
By then, the canoe had drifted far beyond Ghana’s waters. At about 10:36 p.m., the Ghana Navy received confirmation that the fishers had been located in Beninese waters near Grand-Popo. They were found through a joint effort involving local Beninese artisanal fishermen and the Beninese and Togolese navies.
Thursday, 22 October – Return to Ghana
At about 6:49 a.m., Ghana Navy Ship Aflao received the seven fishers from a Togolese naval vessel at the Ghana–Togo maritime border. On board, they were given food and medical attention, and they later arrived at the Tema Fishing Harbour. GMA and the Ghana Navy supplied them with food, drinking water, toiletries and other essentials; each fisher received a life jacket; GPHA arranged medical examinations; and GMA provided overnight accommodation before the men travelled back to Sekondi.
Friday, 23 October – Welcome home
The Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Hon. Emelia Arthur, welcomed the fishers home at a ceremony at Ngyeresia.
Outcome
All seven fishers survived the ordeal of about two weeks at sea and were returned safely to their families.
| Crew | All seven rescued alive and in good condition |
|---|---|
| Fish Catch | Entire catch thrown overboard to lighten the canoe |
| Distance Drifted | About 120 nautical miles (about 220 km) from the Axim fishing ground into Beninese waters |
| Food and Water | Supplies exhausted after about five days |