Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Major storms, port damage, fatalities on Grand Bahama/Freeport

DutchByAssociation

Recommended Posts

DutchByAssociation

DutchByAssociation

Posted
Posted

*Hosts, I know there is a regional board this could be posted on, but there are currently HAL ships in dry dock in Freeport, hence the post here. Thanks*

 

Hi all,

 

Wanted to check in and let you know that I have some sources currently on the Zuiderdam drydock in Freeport and it sounds like things got pretty wild out there. Cranes damaged and destroyed, cars destroyed, injuries and fatalities and at least 2 tornadoes.

 

Doesn't sound as though there were any injuries/deaths with regard to the crew doing the HAL dry dock work and no damage to the ship.

 

There's a lot of news articles, the Bahamas page on Facebook has a lot of photos and updates.

 

Keep the people in the region in your thoughts, this was a crazy freak storm.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sail7seas

sail7seas

Posted
Posted

That's awful. Thanks for sharing, DBA.

 

We've had extreme rain and wind again today and more tomorrow. I think this might be all part of the same storm. We got about 3" of rain today and another 4-6" predicted for tomorrow on TOP of flooding rain we've had twice in the last two weeks. We have had state of emergency declared.

 

 

Please keep us updated re: HAL crews and ships in Freeport.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
DutchByAssociation

DutchByAssociation

Posted
  • Author
Posted

This is the latest news I've found. Please note that I have no idea if the portion I highlighted in red will in any way affect the dry docks of Zuiderdam, Statendam and Westerdam that are all currently underway or about to begin. Nothing is being said or inferred by me, I don't know anything more than what the article here states, except for my source on Zuiderdam who has not mentioned injuries or damage.

That said, here ya go...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tornado strikes Grand Bahama, toppling crane at Bahamas port and killing at 3 workers

 

By The Associated Press

 

FREEPORT, Bahamas - A tornado touched down during a fierce thunderstorm in the Bahamas on Monday and toppled a port crane, killing three people and injuring at least four.

 

 

The crane collapsed at the Freeport Container Port on the western side of Grand Bahama, where trees were uprooted and windows blasted out of hotels as at least one tornado cut a destructive path on the island about 60 miles (100 kilometres) east of Florida.

 

 

Two people were inside the crane when it fell and both died, said Capt. Stephen Russell, director of the Bahamas National Emergency Management Agency. Russell said a third person was also killed and four were injured at the port, but he had no details.

 

 

Witness Glen Marchesani told The Tribune newspaper that the dead and injured were part of a crew of around 10 men doing maintenance work on one of the port's 10 cranes when it came crashing down.

 

 

The foundation of the crane was ripped from the ground. Mangled metal from the toppled crane splashed into the roiling water at the port or came to rest on a rocky embankment.

 

 

A government statement said the tornado damaged six of the port's cranes. The Bahamas Information Services said the port will likely be closed for days and is expected to operate at a reduced capacity when it reopens.

 

 

Godfrey Smith, director of the Freeport Container Port, declined to release the victims' names, saying company executives were still trying to contact relatives. He said further details about the fatalities would be released following an investigation.

 

 

Elsewhere on Grand Bahama, the storm blew out windows, stripped shingles and peeled off a few roofs. Wind-whipped debris hung from trees.

 

After hitting Grand Bahama, the storm moved toward Abaco island and the capital of Nassau on New Providence. No damage was immediately reported on those islands.

 

 

Hurricanes are common in the Bahamas but tornadoes are relatively rare. Pat Butler, a forecaster with the Bahamas Meteorology Department, said they occur about once every three years in the island chain.

 

 

Damage on Grand Bahama appeared to be greatest in and around Port Lucaya and Freeport, with witnesses reporting many uprooted trees, broken windows and damaged roofs and cars.

 

 

Several guests at the Island Seas Resort were taken to the hospital with minor scrapes from debris but none were seriously injured, said Hubert Gibson, the hotel's activity director.

 

 

"Everybody's OK. Everybody's in good shape. It just caught us off guard," he said.

 

 

Racquell Harvey, who works at the Port Lucaya Marina, said five boats were damaged as they seesawed in their berths while the storm whipped up white-crested waves around noon.

 

 

"The tornado just came out of nowhere," Harvey said at the marina's office. "We were thinking it was just a rain storm, then we saw it coming all of a sudden. It was kind of scary."

Link to comment
Share on other sites
LorraineAZ

LorraineAZ

Posted
Posted
This is the latest news I've found. Please note that I have no idea if the portion I highlighted in red will in any way affect the dry docks of Zuiderdam, Statendam and Westerdam that are all currently underway or about to begin. Nothing is being said or inferred by me, I don't know anything more than what the article here states, except for my source on Zuiderdam who has not mentioned injuries or damage.

That said, here ya go...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tornado strikes Grand Bahama, toppling crane at Bahamas port and killing at 3 workers

 

By The Associated Press

 

FREEPORT, Bahamas - A tornado touched down during a fierce thunderstorm in the Bahamas on Monday and toppled a port crane, killing three people and injuring at least four.

 

 

The crane collapsed at the Freeport Container Port on the western side of Grand Bahama, where trees were uprooted and windows blasted out of hotels as at least one tornado cut a destructive path on the island about 60 miles (100 kilometres) east of Florida.

 

 

Two people were inside the crane when it fell and both died, said Capt. Stephen Russell, director of the Bahamas National Emergency Management Agency. Russell said a third person was also killed and four were injured at the port, but he had no details.

 

 

Witness Glen Marchesani told The Tribune newspaper that the dead and injured were part of a crew of around 10 men doing maintenance work on one of the port's 10 cranes when it came crashing down.

 

 

The foundation of the crane was ripped from the ground. Mangled metal from the toppled crane splashed into the roiling water at the port or came to rest on a rocky embankment.

 

 

A government statement said the tornado damaged six of the port's cranes. The Bahamas Information Services said the port will likely be closed for days and is expected to operate at a reduced capacity when it reopens.

 

 

Godfrey Smith, director of the Freeport Container Port, declined to release the victims' names, saying company executives were still trying to contact relatives. He said further details about the fatalities would be released following an investigation.

 

 

Elsewhere on Grand Bahama, the storm blew out windows, stripped shingles and peeled off a few roofs. Wind-whipped debris hung from trees.

 

After hitting Grand Bahama, the storm moved toward Abaco island and the capital of Nassau on New Providence. No damage was immediately reported on those islands.

 

 

Hurricanes are common in the Bahamas but tornadoes are relatively rare. Pat Butler, a forecaster with the Bahamas Meteorology Department, said they occur about once every three years in the island chain.

 

 

Damage on Grand Bahama appeared to be greatest in and around Port Lucaya and Freeport, with witnesses reporting many uprooted trees, broken windows and damaged roofs and cars.

 

 

Several guests at the Island Seas Resort were taken to the hospital with minor scrapes from debris but none were seriously injured, said Hubert Gibson, the hotel's activity director.

 

 

"Everybody's OK. Everybody's in good shape. It just caught us off guard," he said.

 

 

Racquell Harvey, who works at the Port Lucaya Marina, said five boats were damaged as they seesawed in their berths while the storm whipped up white-crested waves around noon.

 

 

"The tornado just came out of nowhere," Harvey said at the marina's office. "We were thinking it was just a rain storm, then we saw it coming all of a sudden. It was kind of scary."

 

I called HAL a few minutes ago to ask if there would be an update on their website about this situation. I was told "there is no information on our computers about anything in the Bahamas, you must be mistaken". After sitting on hold for several minutes, I gave up. Other news sites are saying that at least 6 cranes went down, but we can't tell yet if HAL has their own cranes & how they came through this horrible storm. Any one who can enlighten us on the effect this will have on our dry dock(and subsequent cruise) ???

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Iowa-Cruiser

Iowa-Cruiser

Posted
Posted

Found here: http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/news/news.cfm?ID=3778

 

"Meanwhile, also on the Harbour (on the north side of the same bay as the container port) is Freeport's busy Grand Bahama Shipyard, a popular destination for cruise ship refurbishments. ... The yard's dry docks are currently occupied by two ships, Holland America's Zuiderdam and Statendam. Carl Rotkirch, Chairman and CEO of Grand Bahama Shipyard Limited, tells us today via telephone that the tornado did not damage the facilities there or the ships; the only impact was an hour-long power outage. The refit schedules for these ships will not be impacted by the tornado."

 

there also seems to be some discussion on if appropriate weather warnings were issued before the storm hit. They were hit by 2 tornadoes. While this is normal for those of us in the Midwest, it is unusual for the Bahamas - they get a tornado every 2-3 years, and probably weren't prepared for one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
RuthC

RuthC

Posted
Posted
I haven't seen any posts from Steven in quite some time. I'm wondering if he's on the island now? Anyone hear anything from him lately?

Jim, he hasn't posted here in ages (he had to use a new boardname, as he couldn't access his old one).

His island is Bermuda, though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Krazy Kruizers

Krazy Kruizers

Posted
Posted
Found here: http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/news/news.cfm?ID=3778

 

"Meanwhile, also on the Harbour (on the north side of the same bay as the container port) is Freeport's busy Grand Bahama Shipyard, a popular destination for cruise ship refurbishments. ... The yard's dry docks are currently occupied by two ships, Holland America's Zuiderdam and Statendam. Carl Rotkirch, Chairman and CEO of Grand Bahama Shipyard Limited, tells us today via telephone that the tornado did not damage the facilities there or the ships; the only impact was an hour-long power outage. The refit schedules for these ships will not be impacted by the tornado."

 

there also seems to be some discussion on if appropriate weather warnings were issued before the storm hit. They were hit by 2 tornadoes. While this is normal for those of us in the Midwest, it is unusual for the Bahamas - they get a tornado every 2-3 years, and probably weren't prepared for one.

 

Thanks for the information.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Aim1

Aim1

Posted
Posted

Oh my god!

 

I had just come on here to say my other half left again this morning to join the Statendam, and now I've read this!

 

What a horrible thing to happen, my thoughts are with the friends and families of those affected :(

 

On a purely selfish level, I sure do hope the weather improves soon!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...