Asante Fisheries denies dumping cook crew member on grounds of coronvirus contraction

Asante Fisheries Company Limited has debunked media reports accusing it of dumping one William Koomson, its Korean food specialist, suspected of contracting COVID-19, off its vessel.

In a press statement signed by Mr Frank Aihoon, Director of Asante Fisheries Company Limited, the company indicated that Mr Koomson, embarked at the Tema Anchorage on 27th February, 2020 as a Korean Cook, adding that a report from the Captain, Kim Yeong Jin’s report indicated that “he exhibited gross incompetence in making dishes for the Korean crew”.

“The captain said he made several efforts on many occasions to get him to improve but showed gross disrespect and on April 1, he was giving a final caution by the captain. He was rather rude and shouted at the captain, a practice which is not acceptable in any fishing vessel anywhere in the world”.

It added that on April 2, the Captain, using the boat, with accompanying crew, got the said William Koomson to disembark stating that the side-boat took him to a fishing canoe which was arranged as a rented means of transport while the vessel ensured he had adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

“On landing at Keta, he was held as a person suspected of carrying the coronavirus and initial test conducted. The test proved negative but it was decided on grounds of sound medical principle to hold him for the mandatory 14 days after which an exit test would be conducted”, the company stated.

According to the company, “Asante Fisheries therefore hired and paid for a hotel accommodation to be used as the quarantine centre, has a nurse attending to him on daily basis and pay for his daily upkeep till the exit test is conducted to be sure he is safe”.

The statement said the Company was aware of the seriousness of the coronavirus and the implication for its entire crew should any of them show symptoms of the disease noting that it would therefore run counter to the company for the vessel and all its crew to be kept at sea when they get exposed with any crew quarantined and tested.

The company stressed that ”disembarkation of any crew is a normal practice within the fishing industry and this was not done with any malice or without the necessary caution. It was also not done in a manner that endangers the lives and wellbeing of the person to whom William Koomson came in contact with, nor the community that hosted him”.

The company therefore allayed the fears of persons who might have been alarmed by the “false reports emanating from this normal practice of disembarkation and wish to assure all that the company is following and cooperating with health professionals on the status of Mr William Koomson till he is finally discharged”.