Kwame Akyim, a 42-year-old member of the crew, spoke by telephone to TV3 News reporter Abraham Mensah, detailing the harrowing conditions the men have endured. Akyim stated that the trouble began when the engine gave out far from the coast. “We had an engine failure with the outboard motor,” Akyim said. The resulting lack of propulsion caused the vessel to drift with the tides into deep water. “We got carried beyond 120 nautical miles. The tides were high at sea, so we drifted,” he recounted.
In the initial phase of the drift, the crew attempted to mitigate their situation using improvised methods. Akyim noted, “We managed to use some canvas to move our vessel out of the deep sea,” suggesting an effort to navigate back toward calmer waters or shore, though the boat remained stranded in the open ocean.
Survival for the seven men has depended heavily on their immediate environment. Akyim reported that the crew has not had a “decent meal” for over a week, relying instead on the fish they had previously caught. “We had to feed on the fish we had caught. We have been praying since,” he said. Water scarcity presented an additional critical challenge; in the absence of fresh water supplies, the fishermen have resorted to boiling seawater for consumption. “We boil seawater and drink it,” Akyim explained, a practice that poses significant health risks due to the high salt content, though he noted that the crew’s health has generally held.
Despite the physical strain, Akyim assured that the men are “all doing well,” with the exception of one crew member who experienced a stomach ache but remained stable. However, the crew’s greatest concern is the lack of external assistance. Akyim lamented that despite the proximity of other vessels, their distress calls have gone unanswered. “No one is responding to our call,” he said. “Ships move past us and do not heed our distress call.”
The crew consists of seven men: Kwame Akyim (42), Uncle Amoah (27), Kobina Koom (38), Emma (39), Oboy (28), Kwamena (40), and Abodwe (38). As of the latest reports, the Ghana Naval Command is awaiting to execute a rescue operation.
This incident highlights the vulnerabilities faced by artisanal fishers who operate in international waters or remote offshore areas with limited access to immediate maritime rescue coordination. The failure of passing ships to respond to distress signals raises questions about the enforcement of international maritime obligations to render aid to persons in distress, as well as the operational capacity of local naval forces to respond to incidents occurring more than 200 kilometers from the coast.
The rescue operation is pending, with the Ghana Naval Command currently tasked with retrieving the crew. The outcome will determine the final status of the seven fishers, who have demonstrated significant resilience in surviving over a week in open water conditions.
