Ghana Navy rescues seven suspected Ivorian stowaways

The Ghana Navy has rescued seven suspected Ivorian stowaways from the rudder trunk of a Belgium-registered crude oil tanker, MT Cap Felix, during a maritime operation off the Tema coast. 

Commodore Solomon Asiedu-Larbi, Flag Officer Commanding the Eastern Naval Command, disclosed this at a press conference at the Naval Base in Tema. 

Commodore Asiedu-Larbi said the operation was carried out by the Ghana Navy Ship (GNS) Achimota approximately 200 nautical miles south of the Tema Harbour after the Navy received a distress alert. 

According to Commodore Asiedu-Larbi, the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Abidjan relayed the information to Ghana’s Maritime Operations Centres on Wednesday, May 13, 2026 

He explained that the MT Cap Felix, a Belgian-flagged vessel with a gross tonnage of about 82,000 tonnes, reported that some individuals had hidden inside the vessel’s rudder trunk and requested urgent assistance. 

The rudder trunk is a confined compartment located above a ship’s propeller and used for steering, making it one of the most dangerous places for stowaways to hide. 

Commodore Asiedu-Larbi said GNS Achimota departed Tema Harbour at about 19:00 hours on Wednesday to intercept the tanker at sea. 

He stated that naval personnel successfully extricated the seven male suspects from the vessel and transported them safely to Tema Harbour aboard the naval ship. 

Preliminary investigations by security agencies revealed that all seven suspects were nationals of Côte d’Ivoire, although they reportedly belonged to a Ghanaian community residing in that country. 

The suspects were said to have boarded the tanker clandestinely while it was anchored in Côte d’Ivoire, with Abidjan being the vessel’s last official port of call. 

The Navy indicated that despite the hazardous conditions in the rudder compartment, all seven individuals were found to be in good medical condition. 

They have since been handed over to the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), and the Marine Police for further investigations and possible legal action. 

Commodore Asiedu-Larbi reaffirmed the Ghana Navy’s commitment to safeguarding Ghana’s maritime domain and the wider Gulf of Guinea against piracy, illegal migration, and other transnational crimes. 

He also commended maritime stakeholders for their collaboration and timely information sharing, which contributed to the successful rescue operation. 

Source: GNA