The Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Hon. Emelia Arthur, has called for the introduction of modern safety technology to protect fishermen and improve efforts to locate those who go missing at sea.
She made the call during a press conference at Ngyiresia in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis following the safe return of seven fishermen who spent 12 days adrift at sea after their canoe’s outboard motor failed.
The fishermen embarked on a fishing expedition on October 9, 2026, aboard a canoe named Second Chance.
However, an engine failure left them stranded at sea, with the canoe drifting eastwards towards Togo and eventually into Beninese waters.
Their disappearance triggered a coordinated search and rescue operation involving the Ghana Navy, Fisheries Commission, Ghana Maritime Authority, Marine Police, Ghana Air Force and other national and international maritime stakeholders.
Speaking at the event, Commander Charles Darkwah, Commanding Officer of the Naval Base Sekondi, explained that the Ghana Navy received a distress alert from the Fisheries Commission on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, regarding the missing fishermen.
He said initial information indicated that the canoe had travelled approximately 120 nautical miles, equivalent to about 220 kilometres, south of Axim in the Western Region, before the engine failure left the crew stranded.
According to Commander Darkwah, three Ghana Navy ships were deployed to search for the fishermen based on information about the canoe’s last known position.
He added that the Ghana Navy Special Boat Squadron, in collaboration with the National Security Council, Ghana Air Force and Marine Police, conducted maritime and aerial patrols to support the search.
The operation was coordinated with national and international maritime stakeholders, including the Togolese and Beninese navies and the Multinational Maritime Coordination Centres in Zones E and F, with support from the French Embassy under the ECOWAS Integrated Maritime Strategy and the Yaoundé Architecture.
Commander Darkwah said the fishermen were successfully located and rescued at approximately 10:36 a.m. on Wednesday, October 21, through a joint effort involving the Beninese Navy, Togolese Navy and local fishermen in Benin.
He explained that the seven fishermen were subsequently handed over by the Togolese Navy to the Ghana Navy at the Ghana-Togo maritime boundary at 6:49 a.m. on Thursday, October 22.
The rescued fishermen were received aboard a Ghana Navy vessel, where they underwent medical assessments and were provided with food and other necessary care before arriving at the Tema Fishing Harbour at approximately 3 p.m.
Commander Darkwah confirmed that all seven fishermen were safe and in good condition, adding that the search and rescue operation had officially ended.
Despite the successful rescue, Commander Darkwah identified several challenges encountered during the operation, including communication difficulties, the absence of distress-signal transponders on the canoe and inadequate night-vision capabilities.
He said the incident had highlighted the need for sustained investment in maritime surveillance, reliable communication systems and improved operational equipment to strengthen the Ghana Navy’s ability to respond swiftly to emergencies at sea.
He called for the acquisition of appropriate naval vessels, high-speed interceptor boats and long-endurance maritime drones to improve surveillance coverage, distress detection and emergency response.
Meanwhile, Hon. Emelia Arthur stressed that safety at sea remained a shared responsibility between the government, maritime authorities, traditional fishing leaders and fishermen.
One of the rescued fishermen, Stephen Quansah, has recounted the difficult conditions they endured during the ordeal, revealing that they were forced to boil seawater when their supplies of food and drinking water ran out.
According to him, the fishermen survived on boiled fish after exhausting their provisions, while the prolonged ordeal left three members of the crew extremely weak.
Mr. Quansah expressed gratitude to the government and all the institutions involved in the search and rescue operation for ensuring their safe return.
Source: Nana Fynn
