From Clement Adzei Boye, Takoradi
A 55-year old man, Tawiah Amprofi is feared dead after a canoe he was in with eight other fishermen from Axim, capsized at sea at Ankobra, in the Ellembelle District of the Western Region on Tuesday.
The crew was returning from a fishing expedition when the disaster occurred.
A police source told The Ghanaian Times that, the crew was returning on their canoe with the inscription ‘Adom Number 5′ when it capsized, however, eight others including three teenagers, were rescued.
One person, police reports said, has been admitted at the Axim Government Hospital for treatment.
As at 1.22pm on Tuesday, a search party was still underway to retrieve the body of Amprofi.
Kwame Mensah, a member of the crew, told journalists that they went on fishing expedition on Monday evening and were returning to base when the disaster occurred, adding that a strong wave at the estuary hit the canoe, which capsized.
Describing their experience as “very terrible”, Mensah said, “It was a survival of the fittest.”
“I was able to swim ashore whilst the others were rescued by fishermen at the beach,” he said.
A fisherman called Eric, who was part of the rescue team that saved the teenagers, said earlier attempts at tying ropes to the canoe failed, adding that, “It was a terrible spectacle; the waves at the estuary is very dangerous.”
The Chief Fisherman at Ankobra, Kwame McCarthy, confirmed the incident, and said that Tawiah Amprofi was feared dead.
He said efforts were being made to salvage the body of Amprofi.
Confirming the reports, the Ellembelle District Police Commander, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Thomas Bayor, said the canoe capsized at about 6am on Tuesday, at the Ankobra estuary after returning from the expedition.
He said eight managed to swim to the banks, leaving Amprofi, who got drowned and they ware still searching for the body.
From Clement Adzei Boye,
Takoradi
Read Full Story
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram
Google+
YouTube
LinkedIn
RSS