A pier system installed by the US and Israel to deliver aid to Gaza was damaged by bad weather after just two weeks of operation.
The Trident Pier was meant to allow 150 trucks worth of aid per day, but sections broke free from anchors and washed ashore due to high seas and wind from a North African weather system.
Over 1,000 metric tons of aid had been delivered via the pier.
“Unfortunately, we had a perfect storm of high sea states,” Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh stated.
“On Saturday, May 25th, four U.S. Army vessels supporting the maritime humanitarian aid mission in Gaza were affected by heavy sea states, causing these motorized pier sections, which are used to stabilize the Trident Pier, to break free from their anchors due to a loss in power and subsequently beach ashore,” she said.
“In addition, due to high sea states and the North African weather system, earlier today, a portion of the Trident Pier separated from the pier that is currently anchored into the coast of Gaza,” she added. “As a result, the Trident Pier was damaged and sections of the pier need rebuilding and repairing.”
Repairs are expected to take over a week, during which at least 1,200 trucks’ worth of aid cannot be delivered.
This is another example of a failed federal government initiative despite legitimate humanitarian needs, though weather was also a factor.
Two US service members were also lightly injured and one remains hospitalized working on the pier project.
