Trailer Bridge, a transportation company based in Jacksonville, reported a theft on its barge, the Brooklyn Bridge, on the night of November 13. About 50 people were seen stealing cargo from the vessel, which was stranded around three miles off the coast of the Bahamas.

The company reached out to the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy to inform them about the theft in progress. Bahamian police sent a unit to the scene but chose not to interact with those on board due to fears of possible violence.

“This is a rapidly unfolding situation, and as of our latest update, our barge is still being robbed,” said Mitch Luciano, CEO of Trailer Bridge. “The safety of our personnel is our main concern. We have notified local Bahamian police as well as the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Navy. Once again, the situation is changing quickly, and our focus is on protecting our people and our cargo. We will provide more updates once the barge is secured.”

This incident occurred after a mechanical failure on November 11, when the Southern Dawn tug faced severe winds while heading to Puerto Rico. The poor weather caused a failure in the tow wire, which left the Brooklyn Bridge stuck off the Bahamas. The robbery began while the barge was waiting for help to continue its journey.

The Bahamian Ministry of Energy & Transport’s Port Department reported that the barge ran aground on a reef near Abaco. Officials stated they are in direct communication with the barge’s owner, and divers have already evaluated the situation. Efforts are currently underway to free the barge from the reef.

The Port Department indicated that no environmental damage is expected at this time, but a full environmental assessment will be carried out after the barge is removed to address any potential issues.

Trailer Bridge provides Jones Act barge services to Puerto Rico and the Caribbean, and also offers third-party logistics services throughout North America, including trucking, intermodal services, freight forwarding, and project cargo. The company operates a fleet that includes two roll-on, roll-off vessels and two load-on, load-off vessels between Jacksonville and San Juan, Puerto Rico.