Seven missing Axim fishing canoe crew located in Togo’s waters — Western Regional Minister

Western Regional Minister Joseph Nelson says efforts are underway to secure the safe return of seven crew members of a missing fishing canoe, Second Chance, after their location was established within Togolese territorial waters.

Mr Nelson disclosed this in an interview on Eyewitness News on Wednesday, October 21, saying Ghanaian authorities had made contact with the crew and were engaging their Togolese counterparts to facilitate their return.

“This afternoon, I had a briefing that some contact has been established with the crew and that their location is within Togolese waters,” he said.

“And so the Togo Navy has also been informed. Efforts are still underway to see how they can get them safely home,” he added.

According to the Minister, search and rescue operations began on Monday, October 19, after authorities received reports of the missing crew late on Sunday, October 18.

“Late Sunday evening, we had information about these missing persons. And so Monday, the search and rescue operation commenced, and it's been on till now,” he said.

The update follows an earlier announcement by the Western Regional Marine Police Command that it was coordinating a search for the canoe and its seven crew members after the vessel failed to return from a fishing expedition offshore Axim.

The operation involves the Ghana Navy, Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA), Fisheries Commission, relevant coastal police stations and fishing communities.

Police said the canoe’s owner, Nana Kweku Atta, reported the incident at the Fishing Harbour Police Station in Sekondi on Sunday, October 18.

According to the report, the canoe left the Sekondi Fishing Harbour on Friday, October 9, for a fishing expedition offshore Axim but did not return as expected.

Preliminary investigations indicated that repeated attempts to contact the seven crew members had been unsuccessful, raising concerns about their whereabouts.

A subsequent update suggested that the canoe might have suffered engine failure at sea, potentially causing it to drift from its intended fishing grounds towards Tema and the Volta coast.