A massive search and rescue operation culminated in relief on Thursday as 59 Ghanaian fishermen returned to shore following a harrowing armed robbery at sea.

The fishermen, who were operating roughly 35 nautical miles off the coast of the Central Region, were targeted in a coordinated midnight raid by unidentified assailants operating a mysterious "black boat".

The Member of Parliament for Awutu Senya West, Gizella Tetteh-Agbotui, confirmed to JoyNews on The Pulse on Thursday, February 26, that while the victims were left stranded and traumatised after being stripped of their engines and equipment, a coordinated effort by security agencies ensured no lives were lost.

“They were robbed of their outboard motors and generator sets by a black boat. I cannot disclose the nationality of the attackers. Investigations are ongoing,” the MP added, citing the sensitivity of the active CID probe.

“59 fishermen were affected by the incidents. There are 4 boats that have arrived here at Senya Beraku. Two went to Tema, and one went to Chorkor or so. We are still trying to get further information on the one that went to Chorkor,” the MP explained.

Ambush under the cover of darkness

The ordeal began in the early hours of Wednesday, 25th February 2026, during a routine night fishing expedition.

As the seven canoes moved toward the Nyanyano side of the coast, they were intercepted by armed men. Witnesses described a terrifying scene where the attackers fired warning shots into the air to subdue the crew before boarding the vessels at gunpoint.

The pirates focused their efforts on high-value machinery, successfully decamping with seven outboard motors, generator sets, and other personal valuables, effectively disabling the fleet and leaving the men adrift in deep waters.

“There was an armed attack at sea. Our fishermen usually go out at night and return early in the morning. Those who went toward the Nyanyano side were reportedly attacked,” the MP stated during the interview.

The ‘Black Boat’ mystery

Investigators are now focusing on the vessel used by the attackers, described by survivors as a distinct black boat. While the nationality of the pirates remains unconfirmed, the precision of the raid suggests a sophisticated criminal operation.

The logistics of the rescue were complicated by the fact that the disabled canoes drifted in different directions. By Thursday afternoon, four of the seven affected boats had successfully reached the beach at Senya Bereku. Two others managed to make it to Tema, while the final vessel was tracked to Chorkor in Accra.

At the landing site in Senya Bereku, officials from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) were on hand to process the survivors.

Medical checks and recovery

Despite the violence of the encounter, the MP reassured the families of the victims that the physical toll was minimal. Before being reunited with their families, the 59 men underwent mandatory health screenings to assess the impact of the shock and exposure.

“But they are all fine; they are here; NADMO is taking their details; CID is taking their details; we are refreshing them a bit, and after that, we will let them go for a health check before we will allow them to go. Everybody is safe,” she affirmed.

The incident has sparked fresh calls for increased patrols by the Ghana Navy along the Central Regional coastline, as artisanal fishermen increasingly find themselves vulnerable to maritime crime beyond the immediate shoreline.