Climate Change & Energy
Missing fisheries observer found decapitated after disappearing on Tuna Vessel
Source: Citinewsroom - December 15, 2023
The decapitated body of Ghanaian fisheries observer Samuel Abayitey has been discovered a month after his disappearance aboard the tuna vessel “Marine 707” stationed at Tema Harbour.
Details surrounding his death remain unclear, prompting calls for a thorough investigation from his family.
A brother of the deceased, Emmanuel Eugene Dorpumor told Citi News that the decapitated body of Samuel Abayitey was found on Saturday, December 9.
“We received information last month that they woke up around 1 am and they were looking for him inside the ship but they couldn’t find him. His colleagues said they were chatting with him in the evening and that they were with him inside the ship but they couldn’t find him when they woke up around 1 am. They said they searched everywhere on the ship but they couldn’t find him.
On December 9th, Abayitey’s body was discovered washed ashore near Tema. While the head was missing, Dorpumor identified the remains as his brother.
“Last Saturday, we went to the seashore in the evening and found him dead. We were able to identify the body and so the police from Tema came for the body and so the body is now with the police. His head was not there when we found him but since he is our brother, we knew he was the one.”
The brother appealed to the Ghana Police Service to thoroughly investigate the death to unravel the truth. Also, he called on lawyers to come on board to represent the family and get justice.
“When the thing happened, they arrested some of the workers but they have been released and gone back to the sea and so as a family, we need lawyers to come in to help because it is a serious thing for us because we all know how to swim because we are from a coastal area and so his death is very serious to us.”