The Ghana Navy is investigating a suspected pirate attack on the Ghanaian-registered fishing vessel, Mengxin 1, which occurred on March 27 in Ghanaian waters.
According to a statement from the Ghana Armed Forces, seven armed attackers boarded the vessel around 5:53 PM, firing warning shots. Several crew members managed to hide in a secure section of the ship, but the pirates took control for nearly three hours, seizing mobile phones and gathering the crew on deck.
After the assailants left, it was discovered that the Captain, Chief Mate, and Chief Engineer—all Chinese nationals—were missing, raising concerns that they had been kidnapped. The remaining crew, unable to report the incident due to poor network coverage, navigated toward shore before contacting authorities.
The vessel has since docked at Tema Fishing Harbour, where the Marine Police and Eastern Naval Command confirmed the attack. The Ghana Navy has shared intelligence with neighboring countries through ECOWAS security networks to help track the suspects.
Brigadier General E. Aggrey-Quashie of the Ghana Armed Forces assured the public that efforts are underway to locate and rescue the missing crew members. The Navy also reaffirmed its commitment to securing Ghana’s maritime borders in collaboration with international partners.
