More than 50 fishermen have been left stranded at sea off the coast of Senya Bereku in the Awutu Senya District of the Central Region after armed men attacked their vessels during a night fishing expedition and fled with critical equipment.

The Ghana Navy, with support from the Ghana Air Force, commenced a search and rescue operation at dawn on February 26, 2026, approximately 35 nautical miles off the Senya Bereku coastline.

In a press release dated February 26, 2026, the Ghana Armed Forces confirmed that the operation was launched following an attack on fishing vessels in the area.

According to reports, the armed men fired warning shots, held the fishermen at gunpoint and seized seven outboard motors, generators and other valuables, rendering the boats immobile.

An eyewitness, Elder Samuel Fetteh, told Adom News that the attackers overpowered the fishermen and carried out the robbery without resistance, leaving them stranded about 4,000 metres offshore.

The Member of Parliament for Awutu Senya West, Gizella Tetteh, speaking on Joy FM on February 26, said the fishermen had not returned to shore as of midday. She disclosed that four canoes had been dispatched by local canoe owners to tow the affected boats back to safety.

“They are sitting in their boats without motors, and they do not use paddles these days, so they cannot move. That is why they have to be towed by their colleagues,” she said.

Ms Tetteh dismissed suggestions that any of the fishermen had been taken hostage, clarifying the nature of the incident. “As far as I know, nobody has been taken hostage. That report is not accurate. It is a robbery because the attackers had guns,” she said.

She added that one of the affected boats had been towed to Tema after a fisherman managed to latch onto another vessel, while others making their way back to Senya Bereku remained at sea.

Communication with the stranded fishermen, she noted, had been hampered by poor network coverage, complicating coordination efforts.

The District Chief Executive for Awutu Senya West, Kalala Nyamkye, also confirmed the attack and indicated that a rescue boat had been deployed to ensure the safe return of the fishermen.

Ms Tetteh further stated that the Inspector-General of Police had deployed personnel from the military and the Marine Police to track down those responsible for the attack.