Sunken MV Barima being repositioned for divers to gain better access

As the search and rescue operations continue today, efforts are being made to reposition the capsized MV Barima to allow divers a better chance of entering the wreck to check for possible bodies.

Updating anxious families and relatives of those persons still unaccounted for following Saturday night’s tragedy, President Dr Irfaan Ali informed of the complex operation that is currently being undertaken off the Essequibo Coast where the sunken vessel is lying on the seabed.

“What the focus will be on this morning and today is to try to get inside of the wreckage, to get inside of the wreck. The divers yesterday (Tuesday] were able to have a full assessment, that is, the positioning of the wreck, the challenges and difficulties.”

“So right now, the operation will have started to try to position the wreck so that entry can be made to make as much recovery as we can from within the wreck…They’re trying to reposition the vessel onto a keel to see if they can move the vessel to shallow waters and then enter the vessel to make as much recovery as possible,” the Head of State explained this morning.

Moreover, some 1,500 tonnes of buoyancy airbags would be launched today as part of this operation to move the vessel.

In addition, to local divers, Guyana is receiving assistance from diving specialists from French Guiana, Brazil and Trinidad and Tobago.

“The divers are going to try to get down to the vessel, to tie these buoyancy airbags onto the vessel, to see if they can lift the vessel, because we want to maximise every potential in making maximum recovery as possible,” the President noted.