Ship remains stranded on Lighthouse Reef

The cargo freighter that ran aground on Lighthouse Reef Thursday night remains stranded with no immediate prospect of removal. According to major Gilbert Swazo of the Belize Ports Authority, about half the length of the two hundred and twenty-five foot motor vessel “Transfer” is firmly lodged on top of the reef. One attempt was made to remove the vessel by a tug based in Big Creek but authorities on the scene ordered that effort stopped until the ship could be professionally surveyed. The fear is that if the haul cannot take the strain and suffers damage, that could result in the release of diesel fuel and engine oil into the environmentally sensitive area. Discussions have been held with the ship’s owners and a marine architect will arrive in Belize on Tuesday to inspect the thirty-four year old vessel. In the meantime, the crew of eleven remains aboard to monitor the hull’s integrity and to take steps to mitigate any petroleum leakage should it occur. While no conclusive cause of the grounding has been established, reports indicate that the autopilot mechanism was prone to malfunction in heavy seas, such as those experienced on the night of January sixth.