The rescued stowaways
THE GHANA Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), in a joint operation with the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) and the Marine Police, has undertaken a vigorous investigation following the arrest and rescue of seven Ivorian stowaways at the Tema Port.
They were rescued by personnel of the Ghana Navy after the Belgian-registered crude oil tanker operating off the coast of Tema raised an emergency alert over the presence of individuals hidden in its rudder trunk.
The rescue operation followed a distress call received through the Maritime Operations Centre after the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Abidjan alerted Ghanaian authorities on Wednesday, May 13, 2026.
The tanker, identified as MT Cap Felix, was said to be operating about 200 nautical miles south of Tema Harbour at the time of the incident.
Speaking to journalists on Saturday, May 16, the Flag Officer Commanding the Eastern Naval Command, Commodore Solomon Aseidu-Larbi, said following the alert, the Navy immediately deployed Ghana Navy Ship (GNS) Achimota under the command of Commander Ishmael Kofi Quansah to intercept the vessel at sea.
GNS Achimota immediately departed Tema Harbour at about 7 p.m. on the same day and successfully reached the tanker, where naval officers safely rescued the seven male suspects from the vessel’s rudder trunk.
“The Ghana Navy has successfully rescued seven suspected stowaways from a Belgium registered crude oil tanker, MT Cap Felix, following a distress call received to the Maritime Operations Centre.
“The vessel reported the presence of suspected sewer winds in its rudder trunk and requested immediate assistance while operating about 200 nautical miles south of response. The Ghanaian ship was tasked to investigate and offer the necessary assistance. All the seven suspected males were brought to the Tema Harbour and are in good condition,” he told journalists.
Commodore Aseidu-Larbi disclosed that preliminary investigations suggest the individuals are believed to be from a Ghanaian community in Côte d’Ivoire and may have boarded the tanker illegally while it was anchored in Ivorian waters.
The MT Cap Felix is a Belgian-flagged crude oil tanker with a gross tonnage of about 82,000 tons and an IMO number 9380738, he stated, adding that its last port of call before the incident was Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire.
“The stowaways have been handed over to the appropriate authorities, including the Ghana Port and Harbour authorities, the Ghana Immigration Service, and the Marine Police, for further investigations and necessary action.
“Additional details will be communicated as the investigation progresses. The Ghana Navy reaffirms its commitment towards the maintenance of security within Ghana’s maritime domain and the Gulf of Guinea as a whole,” he added.
Punishment
Under Ghanaian law, stowing away is a criminal offence. Offenders face up to two years in prison, with fines up to $5,000 imposed by port and immigration authorities, and potential vessel repatriation. The laws specifically target both the individuals committing the act and the shipping vessels involved.
Under the Penalty on Stowaways Act of Ghana, anyone who goes to sea on a ship without the consent of the owner or master commits an offence, and faces up to two years in prison, with summary conviction fines up to 500 penalty units.
By Prince Fiifi Yorke