Benin's government said today it had reports that a ship believed to be carrying scores of child slaves had been seen off the coast of Equatorial Guinea's island capital.
The Nigerian-registered MV Etireno has been at sea for more than two weeks with its suspected human cargo of 180 children. An international arrest warrant has been issued for a Benin businessman for alleged child trafficking in the case.
The boat has not been certainly located since it left the Cameroonian port of Douala on Thursday.
According to the information we received today, the boat would be off Equatorial Guinea, off Malabo, Social Protection Minister Ramatou Baba Moussa told reporters in Cotonou.
Malabo is on the island of Biko off the Cameroon coast. Equatorial Guinea also has a larger sector on the African mainland south of Cameroon.