MV Barima tragedy: Search and recovery mission ends; Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre remains active

Search and recovery operations following the MV Barima tragedy have concluded, the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) announced, while noting that the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) remains operational. This was revealed hours after Prime Minister (PM) Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips attended an inter-agency meeting on Tuesday, convened as part of the After-Action Review of the response to the MV Barima incident at the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) headquarters, Thomas Road.

The meeting facilitated a review of the coordinated response to the MV Barima incident, while also examining measures to strengthen national emergency preparedness. It brought together principal agencies involved in the response, including the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), through the Coast Guard and Air Corps, the Guyana Police Force (GPF), the CDC, the MRCC, the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), regional authorities, and other Government agencies.

The MV Barima, a passenger and cargo ferry, departed the Kingston Goods Wharf in Georgetown at approximately 15:15h on July 18, 2026, on its scheduled voyage to Port Kaituma, Region One (Barima-Waini), carrying 179 passengers including crew. However, at about 23:01h, the vessel transmitted a distress signal after encountering difficulties off the Essequibo Coast near the mouth of the Pomeroon River, triggering Guyana’s largest maritime search-and-rescue operation.

The disaster claimed 73 lives, while 76 people survived and approximately 30 remain missing. Five of the persons who died and whose bodies were recovered are yet to be identified. Efforts to reposition the sunken vessel, which is lying on the seabed about nine miles off the Essequibo Coast, were futile, and the Government committed to engaging the families of those missing persons on whether to salvage the ferry or preserve the site as a memorial.

In fact, President Dr Irfaan Ali held one-on-one engagements with survivors and families of the victims from this tragedy last week, both at Mabaruma in Region One and in Georgetown. A day after the tragedy, PM Phillips disclosed that two crew members, including the captain, had tested positive for cannabis. The captain and two crew members – Kevin Price, called “KP” (captain); Rondell Dwayne Roberts (chief mate); Delon Granderson (goods superintendent) – were subsequently arrested and charged for murder. Meanwhile, President Dr Irfaan Ali has established a five-member Commission of Inquiry (CoI) to examine, among other things, the circumstances surrounding the sinking, regulatory oversight and the emergency response. Additionally, the Government has decided to move ahead with the salvaging of the MV Barima and has opened up the tender process for specialist companies to undertake the task. MARAD, under the Ministry of Public Utilities and Aviation, is inviting qualified and experienced marine salvage contractors to submit expressions of interest (EoIs) for the salvage of the motor vessel Barima.

In the advertisement published on Saturday last, MARAD explained that the MV Barima is a passenger and cargo ferry of approximately 38.6 metres in length overall, 8.9 metres in beam, and 2.9 metres in depth, registered in Georgetown, Guyana, and fitted with twin Caterpillar C18 diesel main engines and Caterpillar diesel generator sets. According to the department, the vessel is presently lying as a wreck in approximate positions Latitude 07° 28′.213 North, Longitude 058° 23′.443 West, in water depths of about 13-15 metres (42-49 feet). “Visibility at the wreck site is poor, and strong currents and tidal streams may be encountered at times, necessitating suitably robust procedures and equipment for safe operations…

The Contractor must propose methods and sequences for all stages of the operation,” the ad detailed. To this end, MARAD is seeking reputable salvage companies with a proven track record of successful vessel salvage operations in Guyanese or wider Caribbean waters, particularly environments characterised by strong currents and restricted visibility. Interested and suitably qualified companies are invited to submit an EOI containing, at a minimum, a corporate profile, including ownership, principal place of business, and years of operation in marine salvage. Evidence of relevant experience over the last 5-10 years, including a track record of successful salvage operations in the region, with a brief description of location, depth, vessel type and size, method used, and client references, is also required.

President Ali has since established an audit team to undertake a comprehensive review of the safety and compliance standards governing marine vessels operating in Guyana.