Ghanaian officials save fisherman after being attacked by gunmen

Four fishing boats were attacked by unidentified gunmen in the waters off central Ghana on Thursday, prompting a search-and-rescue operation by the navy and air force, according to a statement from the armed forces and a local official.

Survivors recounted the attack on the fishing boats after spending a night at sea, according to a local member of parliament involved in the rescue efforts. The 71 fishermen on board managed to survive, although their vessels were subjected to looting.

“They had embarked on their customary fishing expedition—venturing out to sea and coming back in the early hours of the morning with their haul,” stated Gizella Tetteh, a lawmaker for the Awutu Senya West Constituency. “The thieves took all of their outboard motors and generators.”

The Ghana Armed Forces urged the public to remain calm and promised to provide additional information as the operation progressed.

The Gulf of Guinea, located along Ghana’s southern coastline, has consistently been identified by maritime security agencies as one of the most piracy-prone regions in the world.