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The Western Regional Marine Police Command has launched a search for a missing fishing canoe, Second Chance, and its seven crew members after the vessel failed to return from a fishing expedition offshore Axim in the Western Region.
The operation involves the Ghana Navy, Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA), Fisheries Commission, coastal police stations and fishing communities, as authorities work to establish the canoe’s last known position and locate the missing crew.
According to the police, the canoe’s owner, Nana Kweku Atta, reported the incident at the Fishing Harbour Police Station in Sekondi on Sunday, October 18, 2026.
He told investigators that Second Chance departed Sekondi Fishing Harbour on Friday, October 9, for a fishing expedition offshore Axim but had not returned as expected.
Engine Failure Suspected
Preliminary investigations indicate that repeated attempts to contact the seven crew members have been unsuccessful, raising concerns about their whereabouts.
A subsequent update suggested that the canoe might have experienced engine failure while at sea. This could have caused it to drift away from its intended fishing grounds towards Tema and the Volta coast.
However, the police say the vessel’s last known position has not yet been confirmed, making efforts to establish its location a key priority in the ongoing search.
Maritime Agencies Mobilised
In a statement signed by the Head of the Public Affairs Unit of the Western Regional Police Command, Chief Superintendent Olivia Et Adiku, the police said relevant maritime and security agencies had been alerted to support the operation.
The Western Naval Command, Ghana Maritime Authority, Fisheries Commission and relevant coastal police stations have been notified.
Chief fishermen and the Eastern Naval Command in Tema have also been called upon to assist in the search.
The authorities are continuing efforts to trace the missing canoe and establish the whereabouts of its seven crew members.