The Ghana Police Service has launched a search for a fishing canoe and its seven crew members who have been missing since embarking on a fishing expedition off the coast of Axim.
The operation, led by the Western Regional Marine Police Command, involves the Ghana Navy, the Ghana Maritime Authority, the Fisheries Commission and local fishing communities.
In a statement issued on October 20, 2026, the police disclosed that the canoe, named Second Chance, left the Sekondi Fishing Harbour on October 9 for a fishing trip but failed to return as expected.
The canoe’s owner, Nana Kweku Atta, reported the incident to the Fishing Harbour Police Station in Sekondi on October 18 after losing contact with the vessel and its crew.
Preliminary investigations revealed that several attempts to contact the crew by telephone had proved unsuccessful, raising concerns about their safety.
A subsequent report indicated that the canoe might have developed engine problems and drifted towards Tema and the Volta coastline. However, authorities have yet to establish its last confirmed location.
As part of efforts to locate the missing vessel, the police have alerted the Western Naval Command, the Eastern Naval Command in Tema, the Ghana Maritime Authority and the Fisheries Commission. Coastal police stations and chief fishermen have also been informed to assist with the search.
The police say they are working closely with the relevant agencies and fishing communities to establish the canoe’s last known position and locate the missing crew members.
Fishing communities along the coast have been urged to report any sightings of the Second Chance or provide information that could help investigators to the nearest police station.
The whereabouts of the seven crew members remain unknown as search efforts continue.
Statement Below;
By: Prince Martey-Sogar.