MV Amma Dela accident: Lawyer Chris Ackummey recounts experience; 35 Years on
It was a hot Saturday afternoon on August 17, 1985, when the nation was thrown into a state of shock after a fishing vessel at the Tema Fishing Harbour, MV Ama-Dela, capsised and drowned with more than 60 Ghanaians, leaving many casualties in its wake.
Thirty-five years after what was described as a national disaster, one of the survivors, now a legal practitioner and tax consultant, Mr Chris A. Ackummey, continue to relive the incident, playing on his mind every now and then.
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The reminiscences of the event alone send shivers down his spine, especially on August 17 every year.
At 70, he said he still receives some form of counselling as a result of the accident but it had left an indelible imprint on his mind, describing it as a forget-me-not of a day in his life.
Incidentally that was the same year the Akoto Lantey disaster where about 14 school children drowned in a pit, as well as the Winneba-Cape Coast highway accident where a group of mourners were run over by some tracks.
MV Amma Dela accident
Narrating the incident, Mr Ackummey said during the launch of the Amma Dela boat, the invited guests, including himself who was the master of ceremony (MC) for the occasion, were given a boat ride on the vessel.
He said a few minutes after the boat left the shores, they realised it was shaking, and suddenly overturned, causing many to drown.
Mr Ackummey said he and others jumped into the sea and managed to swim to the shore.
Moments afterwards, he said he saw a group of people with a boat along the shores heading towards their direction.
But, as the boat moved towards him, “it passed by me, and I felt so disappointed.”
But I saw the inscription ‘Don’t give up’ on the boat and that inspired me, and I never gave up and managed to swim to safety.
“It was a terrible experience on that day. A few minutes afterwards, we started picking dead bodies from the boat. I could count as many as 60.
“That is why for the past 35 years, I have never ventured to swim in any river. It has really left an indelible mark on my mind. Since then, I’ve been having the memory of it every year — exactly 35 years after. It is something that will be difficult to forget,” he told The Mirror.
Daily Graphic story
Daily Graphic’s account of Monday, August 19, 1985 is corroborated by Mr Ackummey’s narration.
According to the story, the 35-footer motor trawler, owned by Somen Fisheries Limited, keeled over about 15 kilometres from the wharf after negotiating a curve to return.
Some of the fishermen on deck who sensed danger just before the incident jumped into the water and swam towards nearby vessels which were discharging their catch.
The timely intervention of fishermen and volunteer divers at the harbour saved some of the guests on board, including Messrs Joe Okyere and Gamel Nkum, both of whom were with the Graphic Communications Group Limited, from drowning.
They threw ropes, live boats, tyres and floating objects to the desperate and struggling survivors to cling to, while some of the fishermen dived into the sea to rescue those floating.
The rescuers were able to recover 16 bodies all of whom were initially sent to the Tema General Hospital mortuary, but seven were later transferred to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital mortuary.
One more body retrieved later could not be identified.
Majority of those who died might have been trapped in the cabin.
The boat was named after the first son and daughter of the owners — Mr Silas Mensah and Somuah. Dela was the son of Silas Mensah, and Ama, the daughter of Mr Somuah.
Annual ritual
Mr Ackummey said as a ritual, he holds a prayer session and church service with his church, Evangelical Presbyterian (EP) Church, to pray for the survivors and the families of the deceased, every year.
“August 17 every year is a day of prayer. Sometimes, I order church service for the souls of those who perished. My pastor has been praying for me, and the family of those still alive and who perished.
“I think it was by the Grace of God, and some experience in fishing and swimming that helped me to swim to the shores of the sea that day. So I can only be grateful to God,” he said.
Disappointment
He, however, expressed disappointment about the fact that nothing had come out of a Committee of Enquiry that was set up after the incident.
“There is no trace of this national disaster. Even when you search online, you cannot see anything about this, and that is bad.
“All over the world, disasters give policymakers the opportunity to take stock and gauge what can be done to prevent same from reoccurring.
“I know some families who lost their dear ones have not received any compensation whatsoever. Personally, I have written to the Ministry of Transport on a number of occasions for compensations to be paid to the families, but nothing came out.
“It is my hope that this disaster is given the necessary attention so that preventive measures are put in place,” he emphasised.
Mr Ackummey further called for adequate rescue missions at the various fishing harbours in the country.