Pirates kidnap three Chinese crew members from Ghanaian fishing vessel
Three Chinese crew members were kidnapped from a Ghanaian fishing vessel after armed men attacked the boat in Ghanaian waters on March 29.
The fishing vessel, Mengxin 1, was targeted by seven armed men around 5:53 p.m local time.
According to local reports, the attackers fired warning shots, forcing the crew to hide in a safe area.
After staying on the vessel for nearly three hours, the armed men rounded up the crew on deck and took their phones before leaving.
When the crew came out of hiding, they found that the ship’s captain, chief mate, and chief engineer—all Chinese nationals—were missing.
Poor signal coverage at sea delayed the crew from reporting the incident until they sailed closer to shore.
The Ghana Armed Forces said the vessel has safely reached Tema Fishing Harbour, where Marine Police and Naval Intelligence officers have begun questioning the crew.
The authorities have also contacted neighbouring countries through the ECOWAS Multinational Maritime Coordination Centre in Accra as part of regional efforts to fight piracy.
Officials say steps are being taken to find those responsible and bring back the kidnapped crew.
