Body of missing UCC Level 200 student Innocentia Avinu found on Cape Coast beach

The University of Cape Coast (UCC) community is in mourning following the discovery of the body of a missing Level 200 student, Innocentia Avinu, on a Cape Coast beach.

Avinu was last seen on June 11, 2026, at the Ayensu Plaza Hostel on the UCC campus, dressed in a black dress. When she failed to return, family members raised the alarm and launched a public appeal for information on her whereabouts.

The search ended in tragedy when a body was found washed ashore near Hutchland Beach Resort in Cape Coast. The UCC District Police Command received a report at approximately 3:15 a.m. on June 12 that an unidentified female body had been discovered on the beach. Officers dispatched to the scene found the body lying face down with blood from the nose. A preliminary examination revealed no visible marks of assault or external injuries.

The body was photographed and conveyed to the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital mortuary pending identification and autopsy. Police also reached out to chief fishermen and coastal communities for assistance.

The breakthrough came on June 13, when a family member visited the police station and identified photographs of the deceased as those of Avinu. The UCC Dean of Students subsequently joined investigators and family members at the mortuary, where the identification was formally confirmed.

A further examination in the presence of relatives revealed no physical injuries or signs of violence. The Central Regional Crime Scene Management Team has since visited and processed the location where the body was found.

An autopsy is yet to be conducted to determine the cause of death. Police say investigations are ongoing.

The tragic incident has sparked grief across the UCC community, with students and staff taking to social media to express shock and condolences to Avinu's family.