Oslo, Norway—A group of Ghanaian Paralympic athletes has sparked an international search effort after they failed to appear at the Fjordkraft Bergren Marathon in Oslo, Norway.
The athletes, part of an 11-member contingent, arrived in Oslo on April 25, 2024, with intentions to participate in the prestigious event. However, they did not report to the competition as scheduled.
The Ministry of National Security, in a letter addressed to the Ministries of Youth and Sports and Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, confirmed the unsettling development.
According to the letter, efforts to locate the athletes have been complicated by their unexpected absence and subsequent attempts to leave Norway.
Nana Antwi, one of the athletes, was apprehended by a search team while trying to cross into Sweden by train. Meanwhile, tragedy struck the team when head coach George Gyasi Gyamfi collapsed and was hospitalized at Oslo University Hospital on April 28, 2024.
Regrettably, he passed away on May 17, 2024, amidst the confusion surrounding the team’s non-appearance at the event.
The whereabouts of the remaining nine athletes remain unknown. Authorities have engaged the European Border Control Coast Guard Agency and the Norwegian Embassy in Accra, Ghana, to aid in locating and apprehending the missing athletes.
The incident has raised significant concerns within Ghana and abroad, as officials work diligently to unravel the mystery behind the athletes’ disappearance and ensure their safety and well-being.
