Freight Truck Plunges Into Sea at Port of Belize Limited

A freight truck ran off the pier at the Port of Belize Limited and plunged into the sea with a container full of goods. Reports are that the truck was leaving the pier head when the mishap occurred. The guard rails broke off during the incident. The contents of the container were seen adrift at sea nearby. Fortunately, the driver of the check escaped the ordeal alive. So, who will be held responsible for the lost goods and failure to adhere to operational protocol the leading cause of this mishap? News Five’s Paul Lopez reports.

 

Voice of: Stevedore
“I got you, just relax, nuh get frighten. Nuh mek the rope knot you up, that is all you need to do.”

 

This is the moment on Sunday morning when a group of stevedores working at the Port of Belize sprung into action to rescue one of their fellow co-workers. The individual in the water is holding on to a rope let down by the group on the pier above. Behind him is a freight truck halfway submerged in the water.

 

Voice of: Stevedore

“You wah can’t pull him up like that. You have to get a ladder. He will get hurt. Just stay right there, don’t move. Stay right there rasta man, just relax your body and be comfortable.”

 

News Five reached out to the Port of Belize Limited seeking further details on what led to the freight truck ending up in the sea and its driver in need of being rescued. We await their response. But credible reports are that the driver was transporting a container filled with goods that had been offloaded from a ship moments prior. These are goods that were shipped to Belizean customers from overseas. The driver of the freight truck reportedly veered off the pier as he attempted to avoid hitting someone that was working on the pier. Images show the contents of the container spread across the sea’s surface near the ship. Many of the goods appear to have suffered significant water damage. There are now questions as to what exactly was in that container and whether the Port of Belize Limited will compensate those customers for the lost goods. In the meantime, News Five has been informed that the driver escaped the ordeal without injury, and he is taking the day off today.

 

Voice of: Stevedore

“Thank God ih nuh dead. Ey ras hear this right, me dah the only man weh only have on my socks and ready fih come for you. I just hope you know that right.”

 

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.