MECHANICAL failure coupled with low tide and overloading were contributing factors to Sunday’s breakdown of the Essequibo River ferry, the MV Kanawan, near Hogg Island. According to a release from the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD), the heavily laden Kanawan departed the Supenaam Stelling for Parika at midday on Sunday with 255 passengers and 42 vehicles on board.
Then, in the vicinity of the Chalmers Channel, by which time the water level was expected to drop, the overboard water suction, which helps cool the main engines, became blocked with sediment.

ENGINE TROUBLE
As a consequence of this development, the engine began overheating and automatically shut down. Thereafter, T&HD said, every effort was made to clear the suction pipes and to restart the engines, but having proved futile, the Parika office was contacted and six water taxis were sent to take passengers on board the vessel to wherever it is they were headed.
The now hobbled MV Kanawan, with all 42 vehicles on board, was subsequently towed to the Parika Stelling by tug.
The Ministry of Infrastructure, meanwhile, has launched an investigation into the incident, and according to the release, subject minister, David Patterson and T&HD head, Marclene Merchant have since apologised to the travelling public for any inconvenience it may have caused them, and promised such an occurrence will never happen again.
Reports are that the ferry was on a scheduled midday run to Parika from the Good Hope Stelling near Supenaam when it developed engine trouble in the vicinity of the Chalmers Channel, near Hogg Island and other communities on the Essequibo River.
The Good Hope to Parika run, the T&HD said, was temporarily introduced for the holiday season.

RUNNING LATE
As one passenger observed, the MV Kanawan was running late, and about an hour-and-a-half into the journey, it was observed that the vessel was not moving, and rumours started going around that it was stuck on a sand bank.
This was confirmed later when the captain himself announced that they had encountered low tide, but that within an hour or so, the vessel would be able to move and be on its way to Parika.
However, as time passed and the situation remained unchanged, another vessel, the MV Malali, was sent to the Kanawan’s aid.
But, since the tide was still low, the Malali, too, became hobbled, and perforce had to seek refuge at the deeper end of the channel.
According to another passenger, persons became annoyed and others agitated at not being kept abreast of what was happening.
It was not until 17:00hrs or so, that the captain announced that speedboats were on the way to take passengers to Parika.
And when one did arrive soon after, it caused widespread speculation as to the number of boats that were actually detailed to take passengers ashore.
Passengers became even more enraged when they learnt, a claim that has since been refuted by the T&HD, that some crew members had been drinking prior to the vessel’s departure, and may have well been under the influence while performing their duties.
T&HD sources told the Guyana Chronicle yesterday that the vessel did indeed depart the Good Hope Ferry Stelling late, sometime after 13:00hrs, with more than 42 vehicles onboard.
But, according to one source, the vessel being overloaded with vehicles was nothing new, as it has happened before at Supenaam, whereby persons would present themselves and their vehicles with very little time to spare and demand that they be allowed to travel. And should they be refused entry, calls are usually made to the higher authorities who would subsequently instruct staff to allow them to board.
The situation was the same on Sunday, and one T&HD employee reported that many persons travelled to the Essequibo Coast for Christmas, so there was a rush to board the vessel at the midday trip.

ALLEGATIONS
It was noted too that some passengers were intoxicated, and were hastily making allegations that the crew was imbibing soon after the boat became immovable.
According to the source, the emergency procedures onboard were already activated and the crew was ready to act in any eventuality.
The vessel is equipped with life rafts and life jackets for 800 persons. He said that passengers became annoyed when one speedboat arrived at the scene initially, noting that other speedboats were already on their way to the scene.

SHUTDOWN
During this time, the MV Kanawan’s engine was shut-down while aground, and the incident resulted in the engine room being clogged with silt. It was cleaned and a preliminary examination of the entire vessel undertaken before it was towed to Parika when the tide rose.
The incident resulted in the schedule of the other vessels, which ply the route, including the MV Sabanto, MV Malali and MV Makouria being disrupted.

FOR MONTHS
Transport staff told this newspaper yesterday that they have been complaining to management for months as regards those persons who arrive at the area with vehicles after the stipulated time and demand boarding.
They said that vehicles are listed for boarding as “priorities”, and the rules regarding boarding are clear, with the key factor being the two-hour period boarding. In addition, it was noted that persons would “show up with letters from various places,” and during verification, instructions are given for such persons to board, leaving staff with no option but to allow the process to continue.
“One man came here with a letter from a private company, then another weekend he had another letter from a public agency… This is the issue we have,” one staff member said.
He said that the issue of overloading needs to be addressed, noting that the problem occurs mainly on Sundays when persons are ready to travel back to Parika. Last November, the MV Sabanto was stuck on the island of Wakenaam after the captain reportedly lost control of the vessel, while on a trip from Parika to the Good hope stelling. It was stranded for hours after the midnight incident, causing much inconvenience to commuters. There were no reported damages to the vessel.

By Alva Solomon