Several attempts to contact MV Barima went unanswered – Lighthouse attendant tells CoI

The Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the deadly capsizing of MV Barima on Wednesday heard that several attempts were made to contact the vessel around midnight on July 18 following a distress alert, but there was no response.
“I kept trying and trying and trying, [but got] no response,” David Chisholm, a Lighthouse Attendant attached to the Maritime Administration (MARAD), testified before the Commission on Day Six of public hearings.
As a Lighthouse Attendant, Chisholm’s duties include relating alerts or distress messages from vessels to the Maritime Rescue and Coordinating Centre (MRCC) via an established WhatsApp channel.
He recalled being on duty when a message was received at around 23:01h on July 18 from the Aeronautical Information Service (AIS) at the Timehri Tower, alerting him to a vessel in distress.
According to Chisholm, he immediately forwarded the message to his superiors and the MRCC. Those messages were sent to the Chief Pilot and the Coordinator of Emergency Operations at MARAD, Captain John Flores.
He went on to say that around midnight, he was instructed by the Harbour Master to make contact with the MV Barima and subsequently used the main radio channel to get in touch with the vessel.
The lighthouse attendant explained that his department, which operates from the top floor of the Marriott Hotel in Kingston, Georgetown, usually uses channel 16 on the VHF radio to establish contact with vessels, and vice versa.
“So, you would call the vessel’s name and say whoever is calling, [for example], ‘MV Barima, [this is the] lighthouse’, and they would respond,” he explained, adding that there was no response after several attempts to make contact with MV Barima. “I returned a call to the Harbour Master on the lighthouse phone and told him there was no response. And even after then, I kept trying as well.”
Chisholm, who was on duty from 20:00h on July 18 to 08:00h on July 19, explained that part of his duty is also to maintain contact with vessels that are scheduled to come into the harbours. He explained that there is an app used by the Lighthouse to track vessels in the harbour.
“We always have to know what’s going on in the harbours or in the channel… Any vessels coming in – local, international – they would contact the lighthouse on the VHF radio,” he related.
During his testimony, the lighthouse attendant, who was further questioned by several commissioners about the procedures and equipment used in his office, indicated that he had no other involvement with this matter when his shift ended the following morning.

“Just be safe; just do what is required”
Meanwhile, the Commission heard earlier on Wednesday about survivors being assisted after their rescue from the sea.
MARAD pilot trainee and Officer of the Watch Shemar Morrison told the Commission that his crew assisted people already recovered by other vessels and did not directly pull anyone from the water.
According to Morrison, he was contacted by Captain Flores of MRCC to assist in the search and rescue mission following the MV Barima tragedy. He testified, arriving at the MRCC in Kingston, where he was briefed and received the initial coordinates on a paper chart before gathering a crew.
However, prior to their departure, the pilot trainee recalled receiving instructions from both Captain Flores and Public Works Minister Juan Edghill.
“He [Captain Flores] said, ‘Just be safe, just do what is required,’ and then I believe the Minister – Minister Edghill – was there also. He said, ‘Guys, just focus on what you doing and try not to release any pictures because we don’t want to create any stir in the media,’” Morrison related.
After departing the Goods Wharf in Kingston onboard pilot boat Haiama, around 01:40h on July 19, Morrison indicated that they arrived in the search area at about 04:55h. However, he noted that they started encountering floating debris at approximately 04:30h, such as life jackets, iceboxes and other items, with no humans in sight.
The pilot trainee further testified that he then received a VHF call from the Harbour Master indicating that he had three survivors whom he wanted to be transferred to the Haiama.
Upon arriving to the search area, Morrison said they met Coast Guard vessels, fishing boats and other craft that were participating in rescue operations.
According to Morrison, at least 50 persons who were already rescued by those vessels were then transferred onto his boat and transported to the Pomeroon Coast Guard base. Among those rescued were the captain of the MV Barima and the first mate, as well as one unresponsive person.
The pilot trainee told the Commission that upon arriving at the Pomeroon Coast Guard base sometime around 07:30h, he met with the Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony.
“I briefed the minister on how I handled the survivors, that we give them first aid blankets, and there was one unresponsive person,” Morrison stated, adding that he then left to go out back to join the search and rescue mission.
On July 18, the MV Barima capsized and sank off the Essequibo Coast while en route to Port Kaituma Region One with 179 on board. While 76 persons survived the horrific boat accident, 73 persons have been confirmed dead and another 30 remain unaccounted for.
The CoI into the MV Barima tragedy continues today at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), Greater Georgetown.