Boarding/Kidnapping -16NM southwest of Accra, Ghana

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Incident Details

Incident Date & Time:

27 March 2025; 2053hrs

Location:

16NM southwest of Accra, Ghana

Latitude/Longitude: 

5° 16' 4.00" N, 0° 10' 60.00" W

Vessel Name, Type, Flag & Status

Unknown

Incident Type: 

Kidnapping/Boarding

Crew status

Unknown

Incident Details

Description

A fishing vessel was boarded 16NM southwest of Accra, Ghana. The Maritime Coordination Centre (MCC) of Accra report that some crew members were kidnapped. Authorities are investigating.

Response Actions

- Unknown

Stolen items

- Unknown

Key findings

This incident represents a concerning escalation in maritime crime off the coast of Ghana, as kidnappings are relatively rare in this area compared to other parts of the Gulf of Guinea. The attackers' ability to board a vessel 16NM offshore suggests they likely used a mother ship or high-speed skiffs to extend their operational range. The successful kidnapping indicates the fishing vessel may have had inadequate security measures or was unable to effectively respond to the threat. The involvement of the MCC of Accra in reporting the incident highlights the importance of regional cooperation in addressing maritime security challenges.

Recommendations

- Maintain heightened vigilance and multiple lookouts, especially in engine room areas

- Conduct regular security drills to ensure rapid crew response to boardings 

- Consider additional physical security measures around engine room access points

Disclaimer
You have received this report as part of your organisation’s subscription. Castor Vali assessment and advice is given based on the information received and processed by us and the surrounding circumstances known to us to exist at the time. Subsequent changes to relevant information or the surrounding circumstances may affect the reliability of our assessment and advice, but we do not accept responsibility for that effect. We do not accept responsibility for the outcome of any action taken or not taken as a result of our assessment and advice unless the possibility of that action being taken or not taken is set out in specific terms in our instructions.

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