MARAD probing sunken vessel at Pomeroon River mouth

The Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the recent sinking of a cargo vessel – Eclipse.
According to a notice published in Guyana Times on Saturday by the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), that vessel reportedly sank some 13 nautical miles off the coast of Guyana in the vicinity of the Pomeroon River mouth. It is said to be in a charted depth of 5.0 metres of water in the approximate position of: Latitude (N) 07°32.484’; Longitude (W) 058°30.109’; Datum: WGS 84.
Harbour Master Micheal Tennant outlined in the public missive that the hull of the wreck is partly visible at low water spring tides.
“Mariners are therefore warned to keep clear of this wreck, and navigate with caution in this area. Communication can be made with the Georgetown Lighthouse and the above mentioned vessel on CH. 16”, he said in the notice.
However, no other information was given on the vessel and the circumstances surrounding its sinking. As such, contact was made with the Harbour Master for same, but he opted not to divulge any further details.
“I don’t want to make any pronouncements while investigations are ongoing… I did (pronounce) and give what I had to (in the notice) to alert the relevant persons and now we are investigating the matter,” Tennant told Guyana Times on Saturday.
Last year, MARAD had come under heavy criticism from residents over its failure to remove a sunken dredge, “Draga”, at Pieremap Falls in the Mazaruni. The channel in which the partially submerged dredge, owned by Crown Mining Supplies, was lodged is the only avenue for transportation to the upper and middle Mazaruni.
It was reported that a local mining company had assiduously tried to remove the dredge, but unfortunately, high tide and the location of the dredge between rocks in the waterfalls had made it impossible to manoeuvre special equipment to the site.
The vessel sank sometime in early June 2016, and after failed attempts to have it removed, the Public Infrastructure Ministry had to intervene. The subject minister, David Patterson, had stated in October last that the removal would incur a cost of some million, which the mining company would have to repay Government.