Seven Ghanaian fishermen who went missing on October 9, 2026, have been rescued safe and sound following a coordinated multi-national search-and-rescue operation in the Gulf of Guinea.
The fishermen had set out on a fishing expedition from Sekondi to Axim in the Western Region aboard a canoe named Second Chance when an outboard motor breakdown left them stranded at sea.
Unable to control their movement, the canoe drifted eastward under the influence of winds and sea currents, crossing international maritime boundaries and eventually entering Benin’s waters.
Their rescue followed a coordinated regional effort involving the Ghana Maritime Authority, the Ghana Navy, the Togolese Navy and the Benin Navy, alongside regional Maritime Coordinating Centres, including CRESMAO, MMCC Zone F, MMCC Zone E and Navy Maritime Operations Centres.
A combined team from the Benin Navy and a local fishermen’s association located and rescued the seven men at about 10:36 p.m. Ghana time on Wednesday, October 21, 2026.
The fishermen were subsequently 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 rescued crew members are currently aboard the Ghana Navy vessel GNS AFLAO, which is heading to the Tema Fishing Harbour while towing the recovered canoe.
The successful operation highlights the importance of regional cooperation among maritime security agencies in responding to emergencies at sea and safeguarding lives across the Gulf of Guinea.
By Gifty Boateng