MV Barima tragedy: GDF Coast Guard Commander hails civilian unity in recovery efforts

…says GDF’s deployed 24 assets; regional support helped operations

The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) said on Wednesday it deployed up to 24 assets and worked alongside regional and local partners as part of the national response following the capsizing of the MV Barima, with recovery operations now continuing.
Speaking during a briefing on Wednesday, Chief of Defence Staff, Brigadier Omar Khan said the GDF has been supporting the national search and rescue effort since the incident and has now transitioned to recovery operations.
He said the operation demonstrated the Force’s commitment to serving the people of Guyana despite challenging conditions at sea.

“The terrain, the sea, the weather has been a challenge for us to operate,” Brigadier Khan said, while commending Coast Guard Commander David Shamsudeen and Commander of the First Infantry Battalion, Lieutenant Commander Dominic Shepard, for their leadership throughout the mission.
Commander Shamsudeen said the Coast Guard’s response was guided by the International Convention on the Safety of Life at Sea, which places the protection of human life above all other operational priorities.
He explained that once the distress call was received, the Coast Guard immediately activated its standby team and began deploying personnel and vessels on Saturday evening.
According to Shamsudeen, 13 assets from the Coast Guard and sister services had been deployed by Sunday morning, increasing to nearly 24 assets later that day.
He noted that Coast Guard personnel reported for duty within minutes despite being at home with their families when the emergency call was received.
Shamsudeen also acknowledged the contribution of regional and community partners, including a dive team from French Guiana, which assisted with underwater operations.
He further praised civilians from communities including Moruca and Charity, as well as fishermen and boat operators, who volunteered their services without charge to assist in the operation.
“We had civilians all the way from as far as District One lending a helping hand… We had civilians from Moruca and Charity lending a helping hand, free of cost. I think that is where we see unity of a nation,” he said.
The Coast Guard commander acknowledged that the operation required extended hours at sea and presented significant challenges, but said personnel remained focused on their responsibility to protect lives.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Commander Shepard said ranks from the First Infantry Battalion responded immediately under the existing disaster response plan on the night of the incident and have continued supporting operations over the past several days.
He explained that personnel adapted existing standard operating procedures to respond to the mass casualty event while working with regional authorities and other agencies.
According to Shepard, ranks were involved in managing recovery operations to ensure families could identify their loved ones in a respectful and dignified manner.
He also thanked members of the Regional Democratic Council and other agencies for their cooperation throughout the operation.
Brigadier Khan expressed appreciation to the local population, including fishermen, boat operators and other volunteers, for assisting the recovery effort.
He also extended condolences to the families who lost loved ones in the tragedy and said the GDF would continue supporting operations as efforts continue to bring closure to those affected.
The MV Barima departed the Georgetown stelling at about 15:00h on Saturday on its scheduled voyage to Port Kaituma, Region One (Barima-Waini), carrying 179 persons, including 18 crew members and cargo. According to officials, the vessel encountered rough sea conditions off the Essequibo Coast near the mouth of the Pomeroon River late that night. Survivors have recalled that the ferry began listing to one side before capsizing, throwing passengers into the water.
A distress signal transmitted at approximately 23:01h was received by aviation authorities, triggering a large-scale response involving the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Coast Guard and Air Corps, MARAD, civilian vessels and local fishermen. Addressing concerns raised in the aftermath of the disaster, blood samples were taken from the captain and crew members for testing. Authorities released the results showing positive tests for cannabis and subsequently arrested the captain and two crew members. Subsequently, the Government in its initial probe on the issue uncovered that more people were aboard the vessel than had been recorded on the original passenger manifest. That information, along with the manifest, was immediately made public.
The President has since announced that a separate investigation will be conducted to determine the circumstances that led to the MV Barima capsizing. The investigation is expected to examine all relevant factors before any conclusions are reached.