Fishermen missing since October 9 located in Togo’s waters – Western Regional Minister

Seven crew members of a fishing canoe that went missing off Axim have been traced to Togo’s territorial waters, Western Regional Minister Joseph Nelson has said.

Mr Nelson told Citi FM’s Eyewitness News on Wednesday, October 21, that authorities have made contact with the crew of the canoe, named Second Chance, and are working with their Togolese counterparts to bring them home.

“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.

He added that “The Togo Navy has also been informed. Efforts are still underway to see how they can get them safely home.”

He said authorities got word of the missing men late on Sunday, October 18, and began a search and rescue operation the next day.

The canoe’s owner, Nana Kweku Atta, reported the matter to the Fishing Harbour Police Station in Sekondi on October 18. He told police the canoe left the Sekondi Fishing Harbour on Friday, October 9, for a fishing trip offshore Axim and never came back as expected.

Police said repeated attempts to reach the crew had failed. A later update suggested the canoe may have lost its engine at sea and drifted from its fishing grounds towards Tema and the Volta coast.

The Western Regional Marine Police Command has been coordinating the search with the Ghana Navy, the Ghana Maritime Authority, the Fisheries Commission, coastal police stations and fishing communities.

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