A multinational search-and-rescue operation involving Ghana, Togo and Benin has rescued seven Ghanaian fishermen who spent nearly two weeks missing at sea after their fishing vessel suffered an engine failure.
The crew of Second Chance, which left Sekondi Fishing Harbour on October 9 for a fishing expedition off Axim in the Western Region, were rescued in Benin’s waters at about 10:36 p.m. Ghana time on Wednesday, October 21.
The fishermen were found by a joint team of the Benin Navy and a local fishermen’s association after their vessel drifted eastwards across maritime boundaries under the influence of winds and sea currents.
According to details of the rescue operation, the crew were handed over to the Togo Navy at 11:11 p.m. on Wednesday before being transferred to the Ghana Navy off Aflao at 6:49 a.m. on Thursday, October 22.
They are now aboard the Ghana Navy vessel GNS Aflao, which is heading to Tema Fishing Harbour with the recovered vessel in tow.
The rescue brings relief to the families of the seven fishermen, whose disappearance triggered a multi-agency search after the vessel failed to return from its fishing expedition.
The Western Regional Marine Police Command disclosed on October 20 that the canoe’s owner, Nana Kweku Atta, had reported the crew missing at the Fishing Harbour Police Station in Sekondi on October 18, following unsuccessful attempts to contact them.
The police subsequently coordinated a search involving the Ghana Navy, Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA), Fisheries Commission, coastal police and fishing communities. Authorities initially suspected that the vessel had drifted towards Tema and the Volta coast, although its last known position had not been confirmed.
On Wednesday, October 21, the Ghana Maritime Authority said it had deployed a Ghana Navy vessel as part of efforts to locate and rescue the crew. The Western Regional Minister, Joseph Nelson, also confirmed that contact had been established with the fishermen in Togolese waters as authorities worked with neighbouring countries to secure their return.
The successful operation involved the Ghana Maritime Authority, Ghana Navy, Togo Navy, Benin Navy and regional maritime coordination centres, including CRESMAO and MMCC Zones E and F.
The incident has again highlighted the risks facing Ghana’s artisanal fishing communities, particularly when mechanical failures leave vessels exposed to open-sea conditions and currents that can carry them far from their intended fishing grounds.
The seven fishermen are expected to return to Ghana aboard GNS Aflao as arrangements are made to reunite them with their families.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
