Seven Ghanaian fishermen survive two weeks adrift at sea

Seven fishermen from Sekondi, Ghana, have returned home after surviving nearly two weeks adrift in the Gulf of Guinea. The group, traveling aboard the canoe ‘Second Chance’, set out for Axim on October 9, 2026, for a routine five-day trip.

The ordeal began on the third day when the canoe’s outboard motor failed. After unsuccessful attempts to repair the engine, the vessel drifted far from its intended route, eventually entering Beninese waters. As their food and water supplies were exhausted five days after the engine failure, the men resorted to catching fish with hooks and lines to eat.

To manage thirst, the crew boiled seawater in an attempt to reduce its salt concentration. When they ran out of charcoal for cooking, they were forced to burn wood taken from their own canoe. The fishermen were eventually located through a multinational search-and-rescue operation and were handed over to the Ghana Navy on October 21, 2026, before arriving at the Tema Fishing Harbour.