Guyana: Two massive vessels collide with Demerara Harbour Bridge

Two massive vessels collided with the Demerara Harbour Bridge Guyana on Tuesday afternoon, causing major chaos.

As per reports, a trawler and tugboat hit the bridge, the authorities stated that despite the accident, the traffic continued to move smoothly on the bridge.

Senior Bridge official stated that the trawler had crashed into the bridge, and later despite warnings, a tug boat went ahead to rescue which also resulted in the crash because of heavy tides.

Authorities, through the official Demerara Harbour Bridge social media page referred to it a “minor accident”, adding that no structural damages were reported to the Demerara Harbour Bridge.

Management also assured that they are making efforts for the safe transit of commuters. They also advised heavy-loaded trucks to stick to the speed limits to ensure safety.

The photos of the collision went viral on social media, with people questioning how such occurrences continue to happen at the Demerara Harbour Bridge. Public have asked authorities to keep a strong check on the water traffic, so that such incidents do not happen in the future.

This is the third such collision to happen in recent years.  Notably, in October 2022 an oil tanker Tradewind Passion crashed into the bridge, and the repair works cost a whopping GY$1 billion to the government.

The incident halted traffic and caused economic damage to the residents of Regions 2,3,4 and 7. Following the incident, the authorities confined the vessel under the Guyana Shipping Act.

The Guyana government had vigorously pursued the case to get claims in the matter to ensure compensation for the damages the crash caused.

The Demerara Harbour Bridge is the major pathway in Guyana and connects the capital city of Georgetown with the Western Region.  It currently ranks as the fourth longest floating bridge in the world and stretches for 6,074 feet. On average, about 14,000 vehicles pass over it daily