MV Barima tragedy: Teams battle harsh Atlantic conditions to reposition sunken vessel

…as death toll climbs to 72 as 65 bodies identified; over 30 still missing

The death toll from Saturday night’s capsizing of the MV Barima off the Essequibo Coast continues to rise as authorities recover more bodies while efforts continue to reposition the sunken vessel in order to gain better access as part of ongoing recovery efforts.
In his latest update via a video statement on the search and recovery operations, Prime Minister (PM) Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips confirmed on Thursday night that the total number of bodies recovered to date is 72 following the discovery of several others.
According to the PM, who is leading the Government’s emergency response operation, “…65 of the [72] recovered bodies have been identified by their families.”
So far, more than 20 bodies have been handed over to the respective families for funeral rites, with the Government covering all the expenses. In fact, several of these victims were laid to rest on Thursday.
The number of people rescued from last weekend’s tragedy remains at 76, while at least 31 persons are still missing.
However, the search and recovery operations are ongoing, with the technical teams continuing to work on repositioning the sunken MV Barima, which lies on the seabed some nine miles off the Essequibo Coast in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam). The aim is to have the vessel positioned on its keel in order to bring it closer to shore where divers can safely enter.
Currently, there are 22 assets, both state and private, comprising 19 vessels and three aircraft that remain actively engaged in the search and recovery operation.
As part of the broader recovery effort, Guyana is receiving support from regional partners, including the French Guiana Army, the Brazilian Navy, and the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard, which have deployed maritime assets and personnel to aid in recovering the missing persons. Their teams will support diving operations and other specialised recovery activities.
This newspaper understands that the divers, both local and foreign, are encountering challenging conditions while attempting to move the vessel.
“They’re still trying [to reposition] the boat… The divers are trying to attach cables and such to the boat so that work is ongoing. When they’re done attaching the cables and everything, then they’ll try to move the boat,” PM Phillips told the Guyana Times when contacted around mid-afternoon on Thursday for an update on the offshore operations.
This publication understands that the divers had successfully attached the cables and ropes to the sunken ferry; however, persons closely involved in the recovery operation explained that when they try to pull the vessel, the cables and ropes kept bursting.
Despite the rough Atlantic conditions and some divers even becoming sick, the teams remain adamant in their efforts to move the vessel. In addition to foreign assistance, this multi-agency operation is also supported by the private sector and local fishermen, who not only played a critical role in rescuing survivors but were also the first to locate the sunken ferry on Monday.

Night operation
Nevertheless, President Dr Irfaan Ali indicated that the recovery operations continued into Thursday night.
“Efforts continue into the night as teams work tirelessly to reposition the wreck of the MV Barima so that divers can safely carry out the next phase of the operation,” the Guyanese leader said in an update on his social media page.
Since Monday, President Ali has been on the ground in Charity, Essequibo Coast, where survivors and anxious family members are awaiting news of their loved ones yet to be found. Recovered bodies are taken to Charity for identification and storage.
On Thursday morning, the Head of State engaged with and updated the grieving relatives of those still missing, including crew members’ families, about the ongoing search, rescue, and recovery operations.
President Ali has already assured these families that no effort would be spared to locate their missing loved ones.
“We’re not giving up on recovery. We’re not giving up on rescue… We’re still trying… to get inside the vessel. Unfortunately, the strength of the current did not allow us to make the type of progress we were anticipating… I want to assure you that we’re not going to stop. We’re going to continue this [operation],” he declared.

Drone flying prohibited
Meanwhile, aerial surveillance continues across the designated search area, which spans an expanded 2,100 square kilometres and extends up to Waini Point, Region One (Barima-Waini).
Authorities are cautioning the public to refrain from flying drones within the airspace of the designated search area since this poses a significant hazard to the aircraft conducting the critical aerial operations.
The MV Barima departed the Georgetown stelling at about 15:00h on Saturday on its scheduled voyage to Port Kaituma, Region One, 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 tilting to one side before capsizing, throwing passengers into the water in less than a minute. A distress signal transmitted at approximately 23:01h was received by aviation authorities, triggering a large-scale multi-agency emergency response that still continues.
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. Another official from the Transport and Harbours Department (THD), which manages ferry services, was also detained as part of the police investigation.
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 and resulted in a number of managers at the THD being sent off.
Meanwhile, the Government has since announced that an independent Commission of Inquiry (CoI) would be launched to determine the circumstances that led to the sinking of the MV Barima. The investigation is expected to examine all relevant factors before any further actions are taken.