Police launch search for missing fishing canoe and seven crew members

Story by: Regina Bless

The Western Regional Marine Police Command has launched a search for a missing fishing canoe, identified as Second Chance, and its seven crew members after the vessel failed to return from a fishing expedition offshore Axim.

In a press release dated October 20, 2026, the Western Regional Police Command disclosed that the canoe’s owner, Nana Kweku Atta, reported the incident at the Fishing Harbour Police Station in Sekondi on October 18, 2026.

According to the report, the canoe departed from the Sekondi Fishing Harbour on October 9, 2026, for a fishing expedition but has not returned.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the canoe may have experienced engine failure, causing it to drift towards Tema and the Volta coast. However, authorities say the vessel’s last known position has not yet been confirmed.

The Western Regional Marine Police Command is collaborating with the Ghana Navy, Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA), Fisheries Commission and fishing communities to locate the missing canoe and its crew.

The Western Naval Command, Eastern Naval Command in Tema, relevant coastal police stations and chief fishermen have also been alerted to support the search operation.

Police say efforts are underway to establish the canoe’s last known location and determine the whereabouts of the seven crew members.

Meanwhile, fishing communities along the coast have been urged to report any sightings of the canoe or information that could assist in the search to the nearest police station.

The police have called for cooperation from the public and relevant maritime agencies as efforts continue to locate the missing fishermen.