Government reacted quickly to yesterday?s forced closure of the Causeway, whipping a dramatic rescue plan into action to convey stranded airline passengers to St. George?s and the Bermuda International Airport.

The Causeway was closed shortly before 9.30 a.m. following yesterday?s horrific bike accident which claimed the life of 34-year old Scott Gibbons, Bermuda?s first road fatality of 2005. The closure of the bridge cut off the only access route to the airport from the western end of the Island.

Traffic was backed up for miles on either side of the Causeway as Police and Fire investigators conducted a two-hour investigation into the scene.

Unaware of the reason behind the traffic jam, some unlucky airline passengers eventually jumped ship ? abandoning their vehicles, several attempted to walk to the Causeway just minutes before it was re-opened, pulling their luggage behind them.

Fortunately, the quick reactions of the Ministry of Transport and Tourism appear to have saved the schedules of most travellers.

Two high-speed ferries were placed on call running back and forth between Albuoys Point in Hamilton and Marginal Wharf in St. George?s just over an hour after the accident occurred. The ferries were met by Public Transportation buses at Marginal Wharf which then transferred the travellers to the airport.

Incoming passengers were able to travel on the return ferry from Marginal Wharf to Albuoys Point.

managed to catch one of the ferries to Marginal Wharf. Visitors, treated to a rambunctious ride in yesterday?s windy weather, all said it was fun to take the ferry.

?What happened on the Causeway was a tragedy,? David Nelson of San Francisco added. ?This is an inconvenience.?

The passengers were all alerted to the ferry service and the Causeway closure by the Department of Tourism, who called around to all hotels yesterday morning in an effort to get all travellers on board so they did not miss their flight.

One visitor told at the airport yesterday afternoon that she was not due to leave her hotel, Pompano Beach, until 1.30 p.m. ? however was advised to pack quickly in order to make the ferry, just in case.

Though her flight was not due to leave for a further three hours, the East Texan did not appear troubled by the long wait ? and added that she had spent a wonderful holiday in Bermuda.

Meanwhile, locals caught in the traffic jam near the Causeway who were not rushing to make flights appeared to be aware that something serious had taken place on the bridge, and seemed to be waiting the trouble out patiently.

?There are worse things,? one man, who did not wish to give his name, said as he looked over the water to the investigators surrounding the silent cars on the bridge.