Maritime Relief: Missing Sekondi Fishermen Rescued Safe and Sound

A wave of profound relief swept through the coastal community of Ngyiresia in Sekondi after seven local fishermen, who spent 12 harrowing days adrift at sea, were rescued safe and sound.

The crew members—identified as Kofi Emmanuel (32), Uncle Amoah (45), Kwamena Nkum (29), Kofi Aboagye (36), Doboa (35), Agya Badu (42), and Kwamena Akyem (40)—embarked on a routine fishing expedition aboard their canoe, the Second Chance, from the Sekondi Fishing Harbour on October 9, 2026.

An Ordeal Across International Boundaries

What was intended as a brief voyage off the coast of Axim turned into a crisis when the canoe’s outboard motor suffered a major mechanical failure. Powerless against strong Atlantic currents, the vessel was pulled hundreds of nautical miles eastward across international borders, drifting through Togolese waters and into Beninese territory.

Back home, anxiety mounted as days passed without contact. On October 18, the canoe’s owner, Nana Kweku Atta, reported the crew missing to the Fishing Harbour Police Station in Sekondi, triggering an immediate search operation led by the Western Regional Marine Police Command in coordination with the Fisheries Commission and the Ghana Navy

The crew’s survival ended on the night of Wednesday, October 21, around 10:00 PM, when local fishermen operating in Beninese waters spotted the stranded canoe. The rescuers safely brought the exhausted Ghanaian crew ashore.

Despite enduring nearly two weeks at sea under harsh conditions—including limited supplies and severe communication barriers—all seven men were reported to be in stable condition. Executive Director of the Fisheries Commission, Prof. Benjamin Campion, and the Marine Police Command officially confirmed their safety.

“Coordination is actively underway between the Marine Police Command, the Ghana Navy, and international security counterparts in Togo and Benin to facilitate the safe repatriation of the fishermen back to Ghana.”

This safe recovery highlights the vital importance of cross-border maritime cooperation and search-and-rescue networks in West Africa, bringing a story that began with fear to a joyous conclusion for seven families in Sekondi.