Looting Reported Aboard Grounded Container Barge in Bahamas

Last week, a container barge parted its tow wire and ran aground on a reef in the Bahamas, reportedly attracting looters from nearby communities.

According to the operator, the barge Brooklyn Bridge broke away from its towing vessel due to severe winds while en route from Florida to Puerto Rico. The barge then drifted aground on a reef off Abaco, at the northern end of the island chain.

The operator commissioned a dive inspection and confirmed that there was no damage to the hull. No pollution was reported, and plans for a salvage operation to refloat the barge and bring it to a safe port got under way.

In a complaint to Bahamian and American authorities, the operator said that looting occurred during the course of the grounding. Social media footage shows multiple small craft alongside the barge, most of them filled to capacity with appliances and boxed goods. In one video, cidsvilian personnel were seen climbing up and down the pigeonholes to access the main deck level.

Craig Curtis, deputy ports director, confirmed to The Nassau Guardian that reports of looting had been received and that officers and military responders were dispatched to the scene.

The barge was successfully refloated on Saturday, and it was under way on a return voyage to Jacksonville on Sunday. A follow-up salvage team will remove any related debris from the bottom around the grounding site. According to Nassau Guardian, a team from the Bahamas government will conduct a site assessment at the reef, which will determine the scope of any penalties for environmental damage.

“We are profoundly grateful to the US Coast Guard, the US Navy and others who took quick action to help ensure our safety and establish a presence of Bahamian police to secure the barge and what was left of the cargo,” said Trailer Bridge CEO Mitch Luciano.