One feared dead, 15 injured in high sea accident

One person is feared dead and 15 others severely injured in a high sea accident involving a Ghanaian fishing vessel and an unidentified foreign supply vessel in Takoradi seawaters.

The body of the deceased, Paul Amoah, 42, from Apam in the Central Region, had not been discovered and the injured had been treated and discharged.

The Takoradi Port Station Officer, Chief Superintendent Asare-Naamim, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Takoradi.

He said the accident happened about 17 nautical miles from the Takoradi Port, when an unidentified foreign supply vessel collided with a Ghanaian vessel, with registration number Luyu 901, during fishing expedition on March 20, last month.

The station officer said, the foreign vessel failed to stop after the accident and the crew could not take note of its name due to poor visibility.

Chief Superintendent Asare-Naami, said the crew made a distress call to the agent of the Ghanaian vessel, Nana Simon, who mobilized two canoes from Elmina to rescue them.

Chief Superintendent Asare-Naami, said a report was made to the Ghana Maritime Authority to help track the foreign vessel but information about its whereabouts had been obtained.

Meanwhile, the agent of the Ghanaian fishing vessel, Nana Simon, told the GNA that, GH¢47,000 had been paid to the family of Amoah for final funeral rites though the body had not been recovered.

Nana Simon, who is Chief Fisherman at Bantama in Elmina, said he had sent a message to the coastal communities to report to the authorities if they find any corpse on the beach.

The Takoradi police in collaboration with the Ghana Maritime Authority are undertaking investigation to track the foreign vessel.

They said the accident caused extensive damage to the engine of the fishing vessel resulting in total blackout while seawater gushed into the ship; but for timely intervention of the canoe operators, the death toll could have been higher.

The police said the damaged vessel was towed to the Takoradi Port and the injured were rushed to the GAPOHA clinic, a private health facility, near the port.**