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Boats have been left unable to reach port in La Manga after the Estacio Bridge broke down on Monday evening, August 17, preventing it from opening to allow vessels through. The fault first appeared at 6pm on Monday and, according to San Javier Civil Protection, has continued to cause problems since, with the bridge failing to open for its scheduled 8am and 10am slots on Tuesday.

 

Officials have warned that the midday opening at 12pm is also unlikely to go ahead.

 

Road and pedestrian traffic across the bridge hasn't been affected by the fault and continues to run as normal, with the disruption limited entirely to boats needing to pass between the Mar Menor and the Mediterranean.

 

Emergency services have been supporting the vessels left stranded as a result. The Civil Protection vessel San Javier is offering initial assistance to boats that have been unable to reach port and are currently anchored while they wait for the bridge to reopen. Maritime Rescue has also been made aware of the situation and remains on standby, with the option to be activated through 112 if the need arises.

 

"We will keep the public informed of any updates. We apologise for the inconvenience and thank you for your understanding," Civil Protection stated.

 

This is the second breakdown in less than a month. On August 1, the bridge was closed for four hours due to an electrical problem that prevented 11 sailboats from crossing.

 

For residents and business owners in the area, this latest breakdown will come as little surprise. According to the La Manga-Veneziola Neighbourhood Association, faults like this one have become a familiar problem over the years, with locals repeatedly raising concerns that the drawbridge's persistent failures amount to more than just an inconvenience, warning that they represent a growing safety risk for the area.

 

Those concerns aren't without precedent. Last summer, the bridge suffered a technical failure that left it stuck in the raised position on a busy Saturday in July, one of the peak weekends of the season. The fault struck just after 4pm as the bridge was opened to let boats through, and the resulting disruption caused major traffic problems at what was already one of the busiest times of the year for the area.

 

Image: Ayuntamiento de San Javier