Boat accident causes ‘Harbour Bridge’ to shift

A VESSEL, the Ocean ATUN No. 66, slammed into the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) yesterday at around 12:30h in the vicinity of Span 13, causing it to shift.

The scene at the Demerara Harbour Bridge minutes after the accident occurred at Span 13. At right is the vessel, the Ocean ATUN No. 66, which ran into it

Reports are that at the time of the accident, it was high tide, and two vessels were anchored at the mouth of the Demerara River.
According to a source close to the DHB, the current at the tide was so strong, it caused one of the vessels to drift.
“As the tide come in, it appears to us that the captain of the vessel was trying to get the engine to start, but it didn’t start in time,” the source said, adding that it was only when the vessel was about 100ft from the point of impact that the engine began to work. But it was too late.
“Although it came on, he did not get to turn in time, and the current push the vessel into the point of impact, hitting two pontoons at Span 13,” the source said.
The bridge has reportedly been shifted out of line, and two of the damaged posts are expected to be replaced soon.
According to the source, the members of the crew are not Guyanese. “There was a Guyana flag at the front of the boat, but none of them spoke English.”
Calls to Rawlston Adams, General Manager of the Demerara Harbour Bridge went unanswered.