Worker missing after incident at Demerara River construction site

Last Updated on Thursday, 9 January 2025, 12:05 by Denis Chabrol

A Chinese national employed by China Railway Construction Corporation (International) that is building the new Demerara Harbour Bridge fell into the river and has so far not been found, the Ministry of Public Works said Thursday.

Following is the full text of the statement:

At approximately 20:20 hours on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, a Chinese national employed by the contractor was involved in an accident during rigging operations at Pier 34 (P34) on the Demerara River. The incident occurred while offloading materials from a barge.

The worker was carried by the swift current downstream. Immediate search and rescue operations were initiated by the company’s emergency response team, with assistance from the Coast Guard and police units on night patrol in the area. Despite extensive efforts throughout the night, including the deployment of a diver, the worker has not been located.

The searching continued throughout the night and will continue until the worker is found. The Contractor is fully cooperating with local authorities and an investigation has been launched by the Occupational Health and Safety Department of the Ministry of Labour to fully investigate the incident.