The Western Regional Marine Police Command is coordinating 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.
The canoe’s owner, Nana Kweku Atta, reported the disappearance at the Fishing Harbour Police Station in Sekondi on October 18, 2026, two days before the police issued a statement on the case.
According to the police, the canoe departed Sekondi Fishing Harbour on October 9 for the expedition but has not returned.
The Western Regional Marine Police Command is working with the Ghana Navy, Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA), Fisheries Commission and fishing communities to locate the vessel and its crew.
Preliminary investigations indicate that repeated attempts to contact the crew have been unsuccessful. A subsequent update suggested that the canoe might have suffered engine failure and drifted towards Tema and the Volta coast, although its last known position remains unconfirmed.
The police said, “Preliminary investigations indicate that repeated attempts to contact the crew had been unsuccessful. A subsequent update suggested that the canoe might have suffered engine failure and drifted towards Tema and the Volta coast. However, its last known position is yet to be confirmed.”
The Western Naval Command, GMA, Fisheries Commission, relevant coastal police stations, chief fishermen and the Eastern Naval Command in Tema have been alerted to assist with the search.
The police added, “The Police are working with the relevant agencies to establish the canoe’s last known position and locate the crew. Fishing communities along the coast have been urged to report any sightings or information about the canoe to the nearest police station.”
