Accra: The Ghana Navy has successfully rescued seven suspected Ivorian stowaways found in the rudder trunk of the Belgium-registered crude oil tanker, MT Cap Felix, during a maritime operation off the coast of Tema. Commodore Solomon Asiedu-Larbi, Flag Officer Commanding the Eastern Naval Command, announced the rescue at a press conference held at the Naval Base in Tema.
According to Ghana News Agency, the operation was executed by the Ghana Navy Ship (GNS) Achimota, which was dispatched approximately 200 nautical miles south of the Tema Harbour after a distress alert was received. Commodore Asiedu-Larbi noted that the alert was relayed from the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Abidjan to Ghana's Maritime Operations Centres on Wednesday, May 13, 2026.
He detailed that MT Cap Felix, a Belgian-flagged vessel with a gross tonnage of about 82,000 tonnes, had reported the presence of individuals hiding within its rudder trunk, prompting an urgent request for assistance. The rudder trunk, located above a ship's propeller, is a highly confined space used for steering, posing significant danger to stowaways.
The operation commenced when GNS Achimota departed Tema Harbour at approximately 19:00 hours on the specified Wednesday to intercept the tanker. Naval personnel successfully extracted the seven male suspects from the vessel and transported them safely back to Tema Harbour aboard the naval ship. Initial investigations revealed that all seven individuals were Ivorian nationals, reportedly part of a Ghanaian community in C´te d'Ivoire.
The suspects allegedly boarded the tanker clandestinely while it was docked in C´te d'Ivoire, with Abidjan being the vessel's last official port of call. Despite the perilous conditions within the rudder compartment, all individuals were found to be in stable medical condition.
The individuals have been handed over to the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), and the Marine Police for further investigation and potential legal proceedings. Commodore Asiedu-Larbi reiterated the Ghana Navy's dedication to protecting Ghana's maritime territory and the broader Gulf of Guinea from piracy, illegal migration, and other transnational crimes.
He also praised the cooperation and prompt information sharing among maritime stakeholders, which were crucial to the success of the rescue mission.