MV Barima tragedy – Public warned of legal action over sharing AI-generated, false MV Barima content

The Home Affairs Ministry has warned that individuals who knowingly create, share or republish false or misleading content related to the MV Barima tragedy could face legal consequences as investigations into the sinking continue. The warning comes as Prime Minister, Brigadier (Retired) Mark Phillips, during an interview on Tuesday, also appealed to the public to refrain from sharing inaccurate information on social media. Referring to a photograph being circulated online that allegedly shows the vessel sinking, the PM said the image was not authentic.
“I want to appeal to the people of Guyana to be very responsible at this stage. There is no official footage of this vessel floating and, you know, being capsized and floating. This incident took place during the hours of darkness. So, to show an image of the vessel on its side floating on the water, that is some AI (artificial intelligence)-generated image; that is meant to create mischief,” Phillips said.
The Home Affairs Ministry, in a statement, extended condolences to the families and loved ones of those affected by the tragedy and assured the public that the Guyana Police Force (GPF) is conducting a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident. It urged anyone with firsthand information, photographs, videos or any other evidence that may assist investigators to submit the material directly to the GPF, noting that public cooperation is vital to ensuring that all relevant facts are established. However, the Ministry expressed concern over the circulation on social media of old, fabricated and unrelated videos and photographs that are being falsely linked to the tragedy.

Deliberate spread of misinformation
According to the Ministry, “the deliberate spread of misinformation at a time of national grief is not only insensitive and deeply hurtful to the families who are mourning, but also has the potential to impede ongoing investigations, create unnecessary fear and mislead the public.” It further warned, “Let it be clear: anyone who knowingly creates, shares, or republishes false or misleading content purporting to depict or relate to this tragedy may be committing offences under the laws of Guyana.”
The Ministry added that such acts of public mischief and any other applicable offences will be investigated and, where the evidence supports it, those responsible will face the full force of the law. It has encouraged all citizens to act responsibly, verify information before sharing it, and allow the investigative process to proceed without interference, while urging the public to respect the dignity of the victims and their families during this period of national mourning. 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, the Maritime Administration Department (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, 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.
Officials further urged the public to exercise caution when sharing images and videos circulating on social media purporting to show the vessel before or after it capsized. They noted that many passengers lost their mobile phones during the tragedy, making it difficult to verify the authenticity of some material being shared and warned that unverified content could cause unnecessary panic and distress.
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.