There are concerns for one of Belize's World Heritage Sites tonight because this morning, a 38 foot catamaran ran aground at the Half Moon Caye Natural Monument. The vessel is called the 'Sun Jam' and is captained by David Lucknor. Preliminary information is that it ran into one what are known as the fringing reefs that lie on the periphery of the atoll.
A multi agency team from the Department of the Environment, the Port Authority, the Coast Guard and Customs and Immigration went out to the site today to assess the situation. First they checked for any damage to the site and then they tried to come up with a plan to remove it safely.
Half Moon Caye sits at the southeast corner of Lighthouse Reef, 50 miles southeast of Belize City. It is famous for its booby bird population. In 1996 it was declared a marine protected area within Belize Barrier Reef Reserve World Heritage Site.
