Ghana arrests eight pirates
Xinhua, January 19, 2015 Adjust font size:
Ghana Navy arrested eight pirates in Ghanaian territorial waters late Saturday, the country's military said Sunday.
The pirates had hijacked a Merchant Tanker, MT Mariam in Nigerian territorial waters and moved into the Ghanaian waters when they were arrested by the navy.
Lt Col. Eric Aggrey Quashie, Director of Public Relations (DPR) of Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), told Xinhua over telephone that the hijacked vessel had tracking devises on IT which enabled the owner to determine the direction of the ship.
"Our forces on patrol on the high seas were therefore alerted and they quickly moved in to arrest the pirates," Quarshie added.
He further stated that the pirates had weapons including AK 47 assault rifles, pomp-action guns with some rounds of loaded magazines, as well as radio sets on them, but were over powered by the naval personnel.
According to him, by the time they were arrested, the pirates had transferred the cargo into another vessel.
"So currently naval personnel from Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria have joined the search on the high seas for the vessel that received the cargo," the official said.
The vessel is docked at the Eastern Port of Tema, while the eight pirates suspected to be Nigerians have been handed over to the state investigative body, Bureau of National Investigations. Endi