Recovery efforts scaled down as foreign divers depart; talks on salvaging MV Barima continue

The Guyana Government on Friday said that the coordinated search and recovery operations after the MV Barima remain ongoing, with no new developments.

Following the capsizing of the ferry on Saturday, July 18, off the Essequibo Coast, 76 persons were rescued, 73 bodies recovered and at least 30 persons are still missing.

Prime Minister Mark Phillips, who is leading the emergency response operation, told this publication on Friday that the 18 assets previously deployed have been scaled down. He said that patrol boats are still out there, while aerial surveillance flight is being conducted daily.

Earlier this week, the Prime Minister had told a press conference that the diving operations were suspended.

According to Phillips on Friday, the team of divers from the French Guiana Army along with those from the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard and the Brazilian Navy, who had maritime assets and personnel supporting the operations, have since departed Guyana.

With 30 people still unaccounted for, the Guyana Government is contemplating whether to salvage the sunken MV Barima or preserve the site as a memorial – a decision it says that will have to be guided by the wishes of the families of those missing persons.

The Prime Minister said on Friday that those engagements with the grieving families are ongoing.

In fact, only this week President Dr Irfaan Ali travelled to Mabaruma to meet one-on-one with survivors and families of the victims from this tragedy. A similar engagement was held in Georgetown the following day.

The Head of State assured that the government will remain closely engaged with every family impacted by this tragedy, ensuring they receive the care, support, and assistance they need—not only in the immediate aftermath, but throughout their journey toward healing and recovery.

Already, a Commission of Inquiry has been established to probe the deadly boat accident and the members were sworn-in on Thursday. The Commission is preparing to conduct its independent investigation into the circumstances of the incident and present its findings, observations and recommendations to the President.

Moreover, the government has formally launched the HEART Initiative — a national framework to provide sustained support to the survivors and bereaved families of the MV Barima tragedy through humanitarian assistance, psychosocial and trauma counselling, social services, spiritual guidance and other forms of support for those affected.