Bahamas News
A year later, stranded tug and barge still scars reef in Fowl Cays National Park – residents demand accountability
March 27, 2025—ABACO | A full year has passed since fierce winds and churning waves threw a tugboat and barge onto the delicate corals of Fowl Cays National Park. Despite multiple attempts to free the vessels, they remain a rusting eyesore—and a threat to the reef’s future. Locals, dive operators, and a coalition of nonprofits, led by the Perry Institute for Marine Science (PIMS), want to know: why hasn’t it moved?
David Knowles, Chief Park Warden at the Bahamas National Trust (BNT) overseeing all national parks in Abaco, vividly recalls the day the
tug and barge slammed onto the reef. “It’s the same story we’ve seen again and again,” he says. “Weather shifts, a channel is miscalculated, and suddenly a boat is on the reef. But what’s unique here is how long it’s stayed.” BNT, which manages Fowl Cays National Park along with more than 30 other protected areas, quickly issued a public statement after the grounding, urging the vessel’s immediate removal to prevent further damage.
The barge, reportedly loaded with construction supplies bound for a development on Abaco, poses ongoing hazards to divers and boaters, with twisted beams and stray materials scattered across the seabed.
Over the past year, authorities and salvage teams have attempted to refloat the tug on four separate occasions without success. During these attempts, the tug’s stern repeatedly grounded on an adjacent section of reef, pulverizing corals below into rubble and sand.
Part of the frustration stems from a simple question: who should pay to fix this? Under Bahamian law, the owner is legally responsible for the salvage, environmental remediation, and the safe removal of any cargo. But in practice, these groundings often become a bureaucratic tangle.
“It’s easy to point fingers at those in charge,” says Denise Mizell, Abaco Program Manager for PIMS who has organized major cleanup efforts at the site since its grounding, “but they can only do so much without cooperation and funding from the owner’s insurance. Meanwhile, corals keep getting crushed, and people who treasure these waters feel powerless.”
Denise Mizell
Guided by its vision—“Thriving Seas, Empowered Communities”—PIMS is a global nonprofit that uses science to discover new solutions, create opportunities for people, and inspire action to protect ocean life. Their work spans coral reefs and mangroves, sustainable fisheries research, and education programs in The Bahamas. By collaborating with local communities, PIMS helps create sustainable job opportunities in ocean conservation, encouraging environmental stewardship and supporting family livelihoods. Working side by side with Friends of the Environment (FRIENDS), Bahamas National Trust (BNT), Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation (BMMRO), local dive shops, and volunteers, PIMS has led efforts to remove debris from the barge still harming the reef. According to divers on these missions, the cargo of pea rock and sand from the barge spilled overboard, covering reef-building corals and smothering fragile habitats. Divers have collected rope, planks, twisted metal, and other debris drifting onto the reef, sometimes fire extinguishers, chart books and plastic light covers mixed among shattered elkhorn coral. Elkhorn coral, categorized as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), is one of the Caribbean’s most important reef-building species.
For many Bahamians, that image cuts to the heart of the issue. The country’s famed coral reefs, especially the branching elkhorn coral that shelters fish nurseries, have already been hammered by disease, hurricanes, and pollution. Tourists come from around the globe to snorkel and dive here, pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into the local economy. Meanwhile, a single grounding can devastate decades of coral growth and disrupt the ecosystem that supports tourism and contributes to nearby fisheries. When storms roll in, the tug and barge shift, scraping the reef anew. Ropes snag, anchor chains drag, and once-vibrant coral heads splinter under the weight of shifting metal.
“It’s gut-wrenching to see such negligence,” says Troy Albury of Dive Guana. As President of Save Guana Cay Reef and Fire Chief for Guana Fire and Rescue, he wears many hats in this close-knit community. Albury regularly leads underwater tours and has watched debris from the stranded barge creep into neighboring dive sites. “It’s a threat to everything people love about Abaco—the fish, even the tourism jobs. Every week, visitors ask, ‘Why is there a barge on the reef?’ and I don’t have a good answer.”
The Government has powerful tools on paper. Under the Environmental Planning and Protection Act of 2019 and international conventions like the Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks, owners must carry wreck removal insurance and face stiff penalties if they fail to remove a grounded vessel. The Port Department can also coordinate with other agencies to order salvage operations, or, in some cases, remove the vessel itself and bill the owner.
Olivia Patterson-Maura, Executive Director of Friends of the Environment —whose environmental education and conservation programs are a renowned staple in the Abaco community—believes that lasting solutions require government and private stakeholders to pull together. “Everyone wants to protect The Bahamas’ reefs—tour operators, local communities, government agencies,” she says. “We really want to collaborate on practical steps that get the wreck out of the park and restore the site, but we need
more than non-profit organizations to step up to the plate. This is a national treasure, and it’s in all our interests to remove it before more damage occurs.”
The tug and barge lie about half a mile from a coral nursery run by the Reef Rescue Network—a collaborative restoration effort led by PIMS and local stakeholders—where fragments of elkhorn and staghorn corals are grown with the hope of replanting them on endangered reefs. Each time storms agitate the stranded vessels, divers see more broken coral littering the seafloor.
“Every time the tug shifts in heavy swells, it scrapes away more of the reef. We’ll dive back down and find broken coral colonies, half-buried gorgonians, and fresh rubble. It’s heartbreaking to watch the corals get pounded over and over,” said Dr. Charlotte Dunn, a volunteer diver and President of The Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation, non-profit dedicated to long-term field studies of marine mammals in The Bahamas.
In the face of shifting winds and unreliable actors, community members are stepping up. Residents who rely on these waters for fishing, diving, and tourism wait anxiously for updates, questioning when visible progress will finally happen. Few doubt the complexity of large-scale salvage jobs. Yet the question remains: in a place where coral reefs generate hundreds of millions of dollars in tourism revenue and shield coastlines from storms, how can a stranded barge be allowed to linger an entire year?
Mizell and her volunteer teams plan to return to the wreck site soon, armed with gloves, mesh bags, and determination to collect whatever new debris has dislodged. Each dive might remove only a fraction of the junk, but for those who love these waters, every fragment is worth saving. When asked why they persist with such incremental work, Mizell’s answer is simple: “We do it because we all care about the state of our ocean. The reef can’t wait.”
Media Contact:
Written by Lily Haines | PIMS | WhatsApp +1 (613) 791-6045 | lhaines@perryinstitute.org
ABACO, BAHAMAS — Nearly two months after American sailor Lynette Hooker vanished in waters off Abaco, investigators are preparing
to conduct a new search based on GPS and navigation data that reportedly challenges the account originally provided by her husband.
The case, which first drew international attention in early April, began when Brian Hooker told authorities that his wife was swept away after falling from an inflatable dinghy during rough conditions in waters near Elbow Cay.
Initial search efforts involving Bahamian and U.S. authorities covered extensive areas of the Sea of Abaco but failed to locate the missing Michigan woman.
Now, according to multiple U.S. media reports, investigators have obtained electronic navigation and GPS data that appears to place the couple’s dinghy in a different location from where searchers initially concentrated their efforts.
The new information has prompted authorities to reopen search operations and seek permission for divers to examine a more targeted area of the Sea of Abaco.
Unlike the broad search that followed Hooker’s disappearance, the renewed effort is expected to focus on a relatively shallow section of water, reportedly about 25 feet deep. Investigators believe the location may offer a better opportunity to recover evidence and potentially answer lingering questions surrounding the disappearance.
The latest development marks a significant shift in the investigation.
What began as a maritime search-and-rescue operation has evolved into a complex multinational investigation involving Bahamian authorities, the United States Coast Guard and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Brian Hooker was detained and questioned by Bahamian authorities following his wife’s disappearance but was later released without
charges. While investigators have never publicly accused him of a crime, reports indicate he remains a person of interest as authorities continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the case.
Hooker has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and has maintained that his wife accidentally fell overboard.
The investigation has intensified in recent weeks. U.S. authorities have reportedly seized the couple’s sailboat, Soulmate, transporting the vessel to Florida for forensic examination. Investigators are said to be reviewing onboard electronics, digital records and other potential evidence as part of the ongoing inquiry.
The case has also attracted attention from Lynette Hooker’s family, who have continued to press for answers and support efforts to locate her.
The renewed search comes after Brian Hooker returned to the United States following the disappearance. Reports indicate he cited family reasons, including concerns about his mother’s health, for leaving The Bahamas.
For investigators, however, the focus now appears fixed on the newly identified search area and the electronic evidence that led them there.
Whether the latest operation produces answers remains to be seen. But nearly eight weeks after Lynette Hooker disappeared in the waters of Abaco, authorities believe new technology and new information may finally provide a clearer picture of what happened that night.
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Regional policymakers, development financiers, economists and international partners are converging on Nassau this week as the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) stages its 56th Annual Meeting at the Baha Mar Resort from June 1-5, 2026.
Held under the theme, “Forging the Caribbean’s Future: Strategic Solutions for Uncertain Times,” the gathering is expected to
place The Bahamas at the center of discussions on some of the region’s most pressing challenges, from climate resilience and energy security to debt sustainability and economic growth.
At the launch of the annual meeting on March 19, CDB President Daniel Best underscored the importance of bringing together leaders from across the Caribbean and beyond at a time of global uncertainty.
“The Annual Meeting provides a strategic moment for the Caribbean, an opportunity for our leaders, governments, development institutions, private sector, youth, and international partners to come together to identify practical solutions that can help the Region navigate uncertainty while unlocking the opportunities that lie ahead,” Best said.
The conference host, newly named Bahamas Minister of Finance and Chairman of the CDB Board of Governors, Michael Halkitis, also emphasized the significance of the event during the March 19 launch ceremony.
“Today’s gathering marks more than the start of preparations for an important meeting. It represents the beginning of a renewed conversation about the future of the Caribbean, about our shared aspirations, our common challenges, and the partnerships that will shape the path forward for our region,” Halkitis said.
He added: “Hosting the 56th Annual Meeting of the Caribbean Development Bank here in Nassau provides an important opportunity to strengthen partnerships and advance meaningful dialogue on the future of the Caribbean.”
Over the five-day meeting, delegates will tackle major issues including energy transition and resilience, innovative debt solutions for Caribbean economies, and the impact of global economic shocks on regional development.
The programme features a number of high-level events including the Youth FIRE Forum, the William G. Demas Memorial Lecture, the
President’s Chat titled Financing the Future: MDB Strategies for Uncertain Times, and a series of policy seminars examining climate finance, infrastructure, economic resilience and development lending.
Among the featured participants are CDB President Daniel Best, Finance Minister Michael Halkitis, senior officials from multilateral development banks, regional finance ministers, central bank governors, economists, development specialists and private-sector leaders. The President’s Chat is expected to bring together leaders of major multilateral development banks to discuss financing strategies for developing states facing mounting economic pressures.
The annual meeting also includes sessions branded “EDGE X by CDB: Analytics Unlocked,” which will explore the economic costs of traffic congestion in the Caribbean and how global crises continue to affect regional economies.
The CDB Annual Meeting traditionally attracts representatives from the Bank’s 28 member countries, including government ministers, senior public officials, development agencies, international financial institutions, youth delegates, academics and private-sector stakeholders. Hundreds of delegates are expected to participate in discussions that will help shape development priorities and financing strategies across the Caribbean in the years ahead.
Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.
May 29, 2026 – Two years after The Bahamas made history as the first Caribbean nation to host the African Export-Import Bank’s Annual
Meetings, thousands of delegates are expected to gather in Egypt next month for AAM2026.
The 33rd Afreximbank Annual Meetings will be held from June 21-24 in El Alamein, Egypt, under the theme: “Intra-African Trade and Industrialisation: Pathway to Economic Sovereignty.”
The event is regarded as one of Africa’s most important gatherings on trade, investment, finance and economic development, bringing together heads of state, policymakers, business leaders, development finance institutions and international partners.
For Caribbean nations, the meetings hold special significance.
In 2024, The Bahamas welcomed thousands of delegates to Nassau for the landmark event, marking the first time the annual meetings were staged outside the African continent and placing the Caribbean at the center of growing discussions on Africa-Caribbean trade and investment.
Since then, Afreximbank has continued to expand its engagement in the region, promoting stronger commercial ties between Africa and Caribbean countries and exploring opportunities in trade finance, infrastructure development, logistics, investment and private sector growth.
Organizers say this year’s discussions will focus on strengthening intra-African trade, advancing industrialization, building regional value chains and increasing economic resilience amid global uncertainty.
The meetings are also expected to provide a platform for new partnerships, investment opportunities and development initiatives that could have implications beyond Africa, including for Caribbean nations seeking to deepen economic cooperation with the continent.
As leaders prepare to convene in Egypt, the Caribbean’s growing relationship with Afreximbank remains a key part of the institution’s broader vision of expanding trade and investment connections across the Global South.
Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.
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