The Ghana Police Service has launched a coordinated search for seven fishermen and their missing canoe, Second Chance, after the vessel failed to return from a fishing expedition off the coast of Axim in the Western Region.
The Western Regional Marine Police Command is leading the operation in collaboration with the Ghana Navy, Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA), Fisheries Commission and fishing communities along the coast.
According to a police statement issued on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, the canoe’s owner, Nana Kweku Atta, reported the disappearance at the Fishing Harbour Police Station in Sekondi on October 18.
The report indicated that the vessel departed Sekondi Fishing Harbour on October 9 for a fishing expedition offshore Axim but had not returned as expected.
Police said repeated attempts to contact the seven crew members had been unsuccessful, raising concerns about their whereabouts.
Preliminary information suggests the canoe may have suffered engine failure and drifted away from its intended fishing area towards Tema and the Volta coast. However, authorities have yet to establish its last known position.
The Western Naval Command, coastal police stations, chief fishermen and the Eastern Naval Command in Tema have been alerted to support the search.
The police say efforts are continuing to trace the vessel and locate the missing crew members.
Fishing communities along the coast have also been urged to report any sightings of the canoe or information that could assist the operation to the nearest police station.
As the search continues, the whereabouts of the seven fishermen remain unknown, with authorities yet to confirm what happened to the vessel at sea.
