The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) moved to mobilise aviation resources shortly after receiving an emergency alert concerning the MV Barima incident.
A military helicopter was deployed to transport personnel and conduct aerial reconnaissance in search of possible survivors.
Testifying before the Commission of Inquiry, Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col) Anson Weekes said he received a telephone call shortly after midnight on July 19, 2026, from the Commanding Officer of the GDF Air Corps, Lieutenant Colonel Joslyn Assanah, who alerted him to an emergency.
Lt Col Weekes said he immediately prepared the aircraft and was later joined by his co-pilot, Captain Andio Crawford.
However, their departure depended on the arrival of a drone team from Base Camp Ayanganna, which they were instructed to transport before undertaking further reconnaissance.
The helicopter departed at approximately 01:45hrs, landed at Hampton Court on the Essequibo Coast at around 02:15hrs, and subsequently conducted an overnight aerial reconnaissance along the coastline to search for possible survivors.
“We were instructed to conduct coastline reconnaissance, essentially to search for possible survivors,” Lt Col Weekes told the Commission.
He further explained that the helicopter’s flight path was restricted by the limitations of the single-engine aircraft and applicable aviation safety requirements set out by the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority, preventing the crew from flying directly offshore to the suspected incident location.
Despite the overnight operation, the reconnaissance did not yield any confirmed sightings of survivors.
Lt Col Weekes said the crew returned to Hampton Court and remained available for further instructions until daybreak.
He subsequently supported additional search efforts and, later on July 19, received instructions relating to the deployment of the Regional Security System assets from Barbados.
Captain Andio Crawford, who served as co-pilot during the initial flight, corroborated the account of the overnight reconnaissance and explained that the crew was unable to enter the offshore search area because of the helicopter’s operational limitations.
He also confirmed that subsequent coastal reconnaissance missions were conducted between July 21 and August 2, during which the crew observed floating items, including a life jacket.
The testimony provides an account of the initial aviation response, the deployment of personnel, the overnight search and the subsequent reconnaissance activities undertaken following the MV Barima emergency. [DPI]
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