Seven Ghanaian fishermen who went missing on October 9 have been rescued and safely returned to Tema Fishing Harbour following a coordinated multinational search-and-rescue operation across the coastal waters of Ghana, Togo and Benin.
The fishermen went missing during a routine fishing expedition from Sekondi to Axim in Ghana’s Western Region aboard a canoe named Second Chance.
According to the leader of the group, Kwamena Akyin, the crew comprised Kwesi Emmanuel, 30, from Winneba; Kwabena Awin, 20, from Kormantse; Uncle Amoah, 24; Kwamena Konfo, 25; Kwabena Ekum, 35; Kwame Abeido, 24; and Akyin, 38, all from Mooree in Ghana’s Central Region.
The canoe reportedly suffered an outboard motor breakdown, leaving the fishermen at the mercy of winds and ocean currents that carried them eastward through international maritime zones into Benin’s waters.
The rescue operation involved the Ghana Navy, the Ghana Maritime Authority, the Togolese Navy, the Benin Navy, the Fisheries Commission and other maritime security agencies, alongside regional maritime coordination centres, including CRESMAO, MMCC Zone F and MMCC Zone E.
The fishermen were located and rescued by a joint team of the Benin Navy and a local fishermen’s association at about 10:36 p.m. Ghana time on Wednesday, October 21.
They were handed over to the Togolese Navy at 11:11 p.m. the same night before being transferred to the Ghana Navy off Aflao at 6:49 a.m. on Thursday, October 22.
The Ghana Navy, working with the Ghana Maritime Authority, the Fisheries Commission and other maritime security agencies, subsequently welcomed the seven fishermen home at Tema Fishing Harbour.
The successful operation highlights the importance of regional maritime cooperation and support from local fishing communities in responding to emergencies at sea.
Following the incident, Ghanaian authorities are considering the introduction of mandatory location transponders for artisanal fishing canoes to improve vessel tracking and enable faster emergency responses when fishermen encounter difficulties at sea.
The proposed measure is expected to strengthen maritime safety and reduce the risks faced by small-scale fishing crews operating along the Gulf of Guinea.