Tanker Experiences Suspicious Approach Off Accra, Ghana

October 03: Suspected pirates attempted to board a tanker around 127 nm southeast of Accra. The assailants approached the tanker in two speedboats and, when the ship increased speed and took evasive measures, pursued the vessel for half an hour before aborting the attack.

PGI Analysis: There has been a notable uptick in piracy in Ghanaian waters since 2018. Most incidents involve petty theft targeting vessels at anchorage in Takoradi and Tema ports. However, pirate attacks in the Gulf of Guinea can occur up to 150 nm off the coast, demonstrating pirates’ extensive geographical range of operation. Pirates are often armed and violent and there is precedent for attackers to persist when under attack from armed security teams until they have been injured or killed.

Source: PGI Ltd