Seven fishermen who went missing during a fishing expedition have been rescued and brought back to Tema Fishing Harbour following a coordinated search-and-rescue operation involving Ghana, Togo and Benin.
The fishers went missing on October 9, 2026, while aboard a canoe named Second Chance on a fishing trip from Sekondi to Axim, according to information provided by the group’s leader, Kwamena Akyin.
The Ghana Navy, Ghana Maritime Authority, Fisheries Commission and other maritime security agencies welcomed the crew at Tema Fishing Harbour following the operation, which involved the navies of Ghana, Togo and Benin, as well as a local fishing association in Benin.
The seven crew members are Kwesi Emmanuel, 30, of Winneba; Kwabena Awin, 20, of Kormantse; Uncle Amoah, 24; Kwamena Konfo, 25; Kwabena Ekum, 35; Kwame Abeido, 24; and Kwamena Akyin, 38. The last five were identified as residents of Moree in the Central Region.
The operation highlighted cooperation among the three countries and support from local fishing communities in efforts to locate the missing crew.
Ghanaian authorities are also considering the possible introduction of mandatory location transponders on artisanal fishing canoes to improve vessel tracking and support faster emergency responses.
