Efforts to remove truck from Essequibo River continue

Apr 13, 2014 News

Authorities of the Transport and Harbours Department, (TH&D) are continuing their efforts to recover the truck, which fell off Chinese, ‘roll on roll off,’ ferry, MV Kanawan, and into the Essequibo River, on Wednesday.
TH&D officials have confirmed that the truck is currently positioned next to the Supenaam Stelling, near to a loading dock operated by BK International.

Efforts being made to salvage the partially submerged truck

Region Two Chairman, Parmanand Persaud, noted that employees of the Public Works Ministry have been using a pontoon and an excavator in the salvage operations, but TH&D officials say that the truck is very heavy and could not be easily lifted onto dry land.
As such, the partially submerged truck has been lifted to another section of the Essequibo River, due to the absence of critical equipment to aid in the operation.
Officials say that additional efforts are underway to lift the truck out of the water completely.
Kaieteur News understands that the truck, GKK 9195, was at the time transporting $2.5M worth of chicken feed and other valuable cargo, when it slipped into the Essequibo River, while disembarking the MV Kanawan at the Supenaam Stelling.
The truck sank between the vessel and the floating ramp after the access, which leads from the boat to the stelling, suddenly collapsed.
According to initial reports, a total of nine small vehicles, three Canter trucks, nine small wheel-base trucks and seven full size trucks were being transported from Parika to Supenaam, when the incident occurred, on Wednesday.
Reports are that passengers and other vehicles disembarked the vessel approximately one hour after the incident occurred.
The driver of the vehicle, Husbert Thomas, managed to escape unhurt by exiting via one of the truck windows. The owner of the vehicle, Delroy Griffith, is lobbying for compensation for the loss of his $6M truck.
Griffith is awaiting word from senior officials of TH&D, who are said to be conducting intensive investigations into the mishap.
He told this newspaper that officials have not been “talking much,” about the incident.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the lines, which serve to secure the boat to the stelling, were not properly anchored.
“Investigators are trying to figure out who gave instructions to the driver to disembark the ferry despite the lines were not properly adjoined or whether the driver received any instruction at all.”
Kaieteur News understands that the mishap has caused further damage to the already deplorable Supenaam Ferry Stelling.