A preliminary assessment of the damage to the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) by two drifting fishing vessels on Monday has been completed.
At the same time efforts are being made to quantify the damage to ensure that the owners of the two vessels, the “Noble Sun“ and the “Lady Sue“ compensate the authorities.
General Manager of the DHB, Rawlston Adams told Stabroek News that he received a report from investigators on the incident late yesterday afternoon. The damage was not extensive and repairs to the structure including the pedestrian rails are expected to be undertaken shortly.
He said that the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) is also carrying out investigations into the incident and according to reports investigations will focus on the vessels’ position from the time they were moored at the Georgetown Ferry Stelling to the point where they hit the bridge around 3 pm on Monday.
While no official at the department could be reached for a comment on the issue, persons there noted yesterday that operators, mainly for those vessels which are moored along the river banks for sustained periods, are expected to carry out checks to ensure that their vessels are properly moored.
The two fishing trawlers slammed into the bridge on Monday after a strong tide cast them loose from their moorings at the Georgetown Ferry Stelling. The bridge was closed to vehicular traffic briefly but reopened soon after the accident. The vessels were later towed away from the bridge around 7 pm on Monday when the tide changed.
Reports are that the ropes which held the two vessels to the stelling snapped and the trawlers drifted downriver for more than five minutes before slamming into the northern side of the bridge. No one was on board either vessel at the time and neither was anyone on the bridge injured.
However, one of the vessels ripped through the pedestrian rails at the side of the bridge, while at least one of the pontoons supporting the bridge was damaged. Another vessel, the Captain Kevin, was summoned to tow the two vessels away but it ended up being stuck and had to await the tide later in the afternoon to move off.
Adams told Stabroek News on Monday that the vessels hit Span 12 but fortunately missed the retractor span.
