MV Barima survivor Daniel Modeste claims the vessel was overloaded when it sank off the Essequibo coast yesterday.
However, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill asserted that the incident was caused by rough tides. He said the initial information received indicated that a “big wave” hit the vessel, causing it to tilt on its side and sink. “The boat was not overloaded by passengers or by cargo. There was no engine problem or any mechanical problem,” Edghill said.
He added that the MV Barima is licensed to carry 284 tonnes of cargo and 397 passengers, while the vessel’s manifest showed that it had 268 tonnes of cargo and 116 passengers at the time of the incident.
67 survivors, including 15 children, have been rescued so far.
