Seven Ghanaian stowaways have been arrested after they were discovered hiding inside the rudder trunk of a Belgian crude oil tanker off the coast of Tema.
The Ghana Navy rescued the seven men following a distress alert from the Belgian-registered vessel MT Cap Felix, which was operating about 200 nautical miles south of Tema Harbour.
According to preliminary investigations, the suspects are believed to belong to a Ghanaian community living in Côte d’Ivoire and may have illegally boarded the tanker while it was anchored in Ivorian waters.
The rescue mission was launched after the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Abidjan notified Ghanaian authorities on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, about suspected stowaways hidden aboard the vessel.
The Eastern Naval Command said the Ghana Navy deployed GNS Achimota, commanded by Commander Ishmeal Kofi Quansah, to intercept the tanker at sea. Naval officers later rescued the seven men safely from the rudder compartment.
Speaking to the media on Saturday, May 16, 2026, the Flag Officer Commanding the Eastern Naval Command, Commodore Solomon Aseidu-Larbi, confirmed the operation and noted that investigations were ongoing.
The suspects have since been handed over to the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, the Ghana Immigration Service, and the Marine Police for further investigations and possible prosecution.
