The words “death” and “bodies” dominated conversations during a visit to Region Two in the aftermath of the sinking of the MV Barima.
The tragedy has left the nation in mourning and families shattered as the search and recovery operation continues. Behind the official figures are families whose lives have been permanently altered, each waiting for news of a missing relative or the return of a loved one’s body.
Bodies recovered from the sea are transported from the Charity Waterfront to the Suddie Hospital, where two refrigerated containers have been installed to accommodate the growing number of remains. Days after the tragedy, many victims were still missing. Relatives travelled from Georgetown, Berbice, Port Kaituma, Mabaruma, Parika and other parts of the country, hoping to reclaim the bodies of family members.
On Wednesday, recoveries were slow. The first body arrived shortly after 3 pm, despite expectations that more would be found after several days at sea. Throughout the day, personnel clad in white protective suits waited at the Charity Waterfront for each recovery while families gathered nearby, hoping for closure.
Each arrival drew anxious relatives towards the waterfront. For many, seeing the body of a loved one—despite its condition—had become the only form of certainty left.
“Just seeing the body is what we need, and we would feel a little better,” one woman said quietly.
The grief was overwhelming. Some relatives who still hoped their loved ones would be found alive broke down as they spoke briefly with reporters. Another woman pleaded, “I just want to see my baby’s body, and then I will be okay.”
Coverage of the tragedy by the independent media was also restricted. Police erected barricades around the Charity Waterfront, allowing only state media beyond the cordon. Officers said they were acting on instructions from their superiors. Survivors were also reportedly being discouraged from speaking publicly about their experiences aboard the ageing ferry.
The restrictions raised questions about access to information during one of the country’s worst maritime disasters. Independent journalists found themselves under close scrutiny while attempting to report on the recovery effort.
Those concerns deepened while travelling along the Pomeroon River. Shortly after leaving Charity, residents reported that police patrols were searching for members of the independent media who had earlier been denied access to the restricted area.
“The police are looking for you all,” several residents said.
Moments later, an officer spotted the boat carrying journalists and appeared to record video or photographs with a cellular phone before the vessel continued its journey.
Travelling to the site of the sinking highlighted the extraordinary conditions survivors faced. The journey from the Pomeroon River to the mouth of the Moruca River and then to Somerset covered more than 50 miles of open water. As the boat approached the area where the MV Barima sank, the sea grew increasingly turbulent.
Coast Guard vessels remained on station. Heavy waves crashed repeatedly against the boat, while powerful currents churned beneath. Once at the location, land was no longer visible. The force of the sea illustrated the challenge confronting those who had entered the water when the ferry went down. Swimming to shore from that location would have required hours of endurance. The same currents had carried bodies more than 50 miles from the wreck site.
Along the Pomeroon River, residents continued searching for relatives in their own speedboats. Every returning vessel was met with the same anxious question.
“Did y’all see any bodies?”
Further along the river, fishermen preparing to resume the search said they remained willing to assist because they knew the waters well. Their only concern, they explained, was the time lost obtaining fuel. They urged that fuel be supplied at the Coast Guard location along the river instead of Charity, noting that the round trip to refuel consumed approximately two hours that could otherwise be spent searching.
Many said they had abandoned their own work to join the recovery effort immediately after the tragedy, helping to rescue survivors and recover bodies. Throughout the day, speedboat operators gathered at the Guyoil service station along the river, sharing fuel as the search continued.
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