A Jersey engineer, two from Guernsey and a drone rushed to one of the smallest Channel Islands today after a major rockslide left the bridge connecting Big Sark and Little Sark vulnerable.

A spokesperson for Sark’s Government told Express that rockfall and a partial wall collapse had affected the southern end on the western side of La Coupée.

As a precaution, the road between the two Sarks is expected to be closed to “all but the most essential vehicle traffic” until repair works next week, and the Government has issued a warning that any weight on the structure should be kept “to an absolute minimum”.

GeoMarine workers – including two from GeoMarine Guernsey and a geologist from GeoMarine Jersey – were in Sark today to assess the damage.

They carried out a drone inspection of the damage and wider site – information they’ll be using to design a remedial solution, which is likely to involve adding mesh reinforcements to the sides of La Coupée, with concrete sprayed into the structure to hold it up.

That work will be carried out next week with engineers and rope access specialists from GeoMarine Guernsey already getting ready.

In a short update this evening, Sark officials said: “GeoMarine have been mobilising assets and materials from Guernsey, Jersey and the UK which are due to arrive in Sark on Monday (20 January).

“A five-man team of rope access specialists and engineers will stabilise the wall area and adjacent cliff face on the southwestern end of La Coupée with reinforced concrete and anchor pins. This work will be carried out from Monday to Friday next week when access will be closed to all traffic.

“In the meantime, the current restrictions remain in place for the safety of all and as a precaution against further damage. Therefore, the road remains closed to all but the most essential vehicle traffic with weights to be kept to an absolute minimum.”

The isthmus connects Sark and Little Sark and is the only way to get between the two except for by boat.

Made up of sedimentary rock, it has had handrails since the early 1900s. 

Damage caused during the Second World War was repaired by German prisoners following the Liberation of the Channel Islands in 1945. 

That six-month project saw the workers put in the concrete supports and handrails that are still there today.

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