as many as 30 may still be missing
The Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) yesterday announced the conclusion of search and recovery operations following the deadly sinking of the MV Barima, bringing an end to more than two weeks of efforts to locate victims of the tragedy with as many as 30 persons still unaccounted for.
Although the government has not issued a public announcement, the OPM told a media WhatsApp group in a brief statement that the search and recovery phase has officially concluded. It noted, however, that the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) remains operational.
“The search and recovery operations have concluded. However, the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre remains operational. There has been no change in the status of the identification of the recovered bodies,” OPM said.
The announcement comes after an extensive multi-agency operation involving the Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard, Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), Guyana Police Force, Ministry of Health, regional authorities, local fishermen, private vessels and international partners from France, Trinidad and Tobago and Brazil.
The MV Barima capsized late on July 18 while travelling from Georgetown to Port Kaituma. Initial reports suggested the ferry was carrying about 133 passengers, but authorities later determined that approximately 179 people had been aboard. The vessel’s passenger manifest therefore came into question, along with the likelihood of overcrowding.
Prime Minister Mark Phillips had previously disclosed that the first survivors were rescued approximately three-and-a-half hours after the vessel transmitted its distress signal shortly before midnight. The vessel was eventually located on the seabed about 31 nautical miles northwest of the point where the initial distress signal had been received, after assistance from local fishermen, private marine operators and technical survey teams.
Over the following days, authorities expanded the search area by an additional 400 square miles while deploying state and private-sector vessels, aircraft, underwater divers and specialised equipment. French divers joined local teams in searching the wreckage, while support also came from the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard and the Brazilian Navy.
The recovery effort saw bodies transported to Charity before being taken to Suddie Hospital, where relatives were invited to assist with the identification process. The Government also arranged flights to transport family members to the hospital to identify their loved ones.
Although Tuesday’s statement did not provide updated casualty figures, the Government had previously reported that 76 people survived the disaster while 73 bodies were recovered during the operation. Authorities have repeatedly said that identifying the deceased had been a painstaking process involving family members and forensic procedures. However, the OPM has undertaken to provide more information about this.
Meanwhile, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill disclosed shortly after the tragedy that the vessel’s captain tested positive for cannabis following the incident and that he, along with two crew members, had been taken into police custody as investigations commenced. The trio has since been charged with dozens of counts of murder and a Commission of Inquiry has since been installed to investigate the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
While the active search has now ended, yesterday’s announcement confirms that the MRCC will remain operational as authorities continue to manage any outstanding matters related to the disaster, including the identification of the recovered victims.
Discussion