US-based preacher, Prophet Jimmy Alla-Mensah.
A tragic marine accident that claimed the lives of 12 children and teenagers in Ivory Coast on Easter Sunday has prompted national mourning—and renewed attention to a prophetic warning issued weeks earlier by Ghanaian-born, US-based preacher, Prophet Jimmy Alla-Mensah.
According to Times of India, citing the Agence France-Presse (AFP), the boat capsized on April 20, 2025, during a church-organized outing on a lagoon near Abidjan.
The victims were part of a Methodist church group from the village of Tiaha, about 60 kilometres from the economic capital. They had traveled by motorized dugout canoe to participate in a “Galilee” event commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Côte d’Ivoire’s Sports Minister, Adje Silas Metch, who visited the site, confirmed to AFP that “twelve bodies have been recovered and are being taken to the morgue.” All victims were children and adolescents, including one who was not originally part of the church group but had joined the crossing.
Additional reporting by Barron’s, also quoting AFP and citing a police report, stated that six teenagers were rescued.
A survivor told authorities that “excessive speed” contributed to the accident, causing sixteen children to fall into the lagoon.
While one account noted the engine failed at a point during the return journey, contributing to the boat overturning, officials also suspect the vessel may have been overloaded. Police have launched an investigation.
Amid the grief, a February 23, 2025, video prophecy by Prophet Jimmy Alla-Mensah, leader of the House of Divine Glory Church in Maryland, has drawn attention. In the message titled “Prophetic Warning About Marine Disaster in Côte d’Ivoire”, the prophet described a vision:
“The spirit of the Lord took me to Ivory Coast, walking along the beach and looking at the port. And what I see is like a ship sinking. Vessels sinking. Some marine disaster in Ivory Coast. Any water-related accident, may the Lord deliver His own in the name of Jesus.”
After the Easter Sunday tragedy, Prophet Jimmy reacted by affirming that the vision had now come to pass. In a statement shared online, he reiterated:
“In a revelation I found myself in the seashores of the Ivory Coast. Then in the spirit I saw a ship sinking. The Prophetic interpretation—Pending Marine Disaster.”
The prophecy video has since circulated widely online, with many viewers pointing to it as a spiritual warning that went unheeded. Others have cited it as a reason for heightened prayer and attentiveness to both prophetic voices and local safety concerns.
As investigations continue and families grieve, the incident also highlights critical issues of water transport safety, especially in rural and peri-urban communities that rely heavily on small boats for mobility.
Prophet Jimmy has since urged intercession and greater vigilance. His message now echoes far beyond his U.S.-based ministry, reminding many in West Africa of the enduring intersections between faith, community life, and public safety.
AM/KA
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