Wayward trawler hits harbour bridge
Stabroek News
July 2, 2003
A wayward fishing trawler yesterday afternoon collided with the northern side of the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) close to the retractor span after developing steering problems.
Due to the collision, traffic was slightly delayed as engineers from the DHB undertook checks.
The vessel, belonging to Noble House Seafood Ltd, was about to be moored at the company’s Eccles wharf, but strong tides in the channel caused it to hit the bridge at span 11 at 4:40 pm.
Another fishing vessel which went to help was unable to restrain the drifting trawler and the two ended up hitting the bridge close to the retractor span which only last year had been severely damaged when a tug and barge crashed into it.
The stuck fishing trawler on the northern side of the Demerara Harbour Bridge after colliding with the structure. (Jules Gibson photo)
At the time of the incident heavy showers were coming down but luckily unlike previous occasions, traffic across the Demerara River was not disrupted nor was there any significant damage from the collision. This was confirmed by communication consultant in the Ministry of Public Works, Ajay Baksh.
An informed source told this newspaper that vessels in the channel were required to check in with the traffic office at the bridge and to alert it if they were encountering any difficulties and drifting.
This was however not the case yesterday and even the captains did not admit to doing this when they visited the office after the collision, the source reported. This is the latest in a series of accidents which have affected the Demerara River Bridge.