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MV Barima comes to tragic end after 87 years
(Kaieteur News) – The MV Barima’s decades-long service to Guyana came to a heartbreaking end on Saturday night when the vessel sank off the country’s northern coastline, leaving scores of passengers missing in what is now being described as one of the nation’s worst maritime disasters.
The 87-year-old vessel went down about seven miles offshore near Iron Punt, in the vicinity of the Pomeroon River, while on its scheduled voyage from Georgetown to Port Kaituma in Region One.
According to the vessel’s manifest, 133 passengers and crew, along with more than 200 tonnes of cargo, were on board. Up to press time, 67 people had been rescued and two bodies recovered, while dozens remained missing as search and rescue operations continued. Authorities believe the actual number of passengers may have been higher, as several survivors were reportedly not listed on the manifest.
The MV Barima had served the North West District route for more than four decades, transporting passengers and cargo between Georgetown and the Region One communities of Morawhauna, Mabaruma and Port Kaituma without any major incident. In 2019, it became the sole vessel servicing the Port Kaituma route after its sister ship, the Lady Northcote, was withdrawn from operation.
The vessel departed the Transport and Harbours Department wharf at Kingston, Georgetown, at approximately 3:15 p.m. on Saturday. It was expected to arrive at Port Kaituma on Sunday afternoon after travelling along Guyana’s Atlantic Coastline, passing the mouth of the Essequibo River, the Pomeroon River and Shell Beach before reaching Iron Punt. From there, it would enter the Barima River, making scheduled stops at Morawhauna and, on occasion, Kumaka and Mabaruma, before its final destination at Port Kaituma.
Instead, the vessel reportedly capsized near Iron Punt, an area known for rough seas and waters ranging between three and nine metres deep, depending on the vessel’s distance from the shoreline.
The first distress signal was received at about 11:00 p.m. on Saturday.
In a statement, the office of the prime minister said the Guyana Coast Guard was immediately deployed, reaching the disaster site at approximately 2:30 a.m. on Sunday as rescue efforts got underway.
Caption: Maps depicting the MV Barima’s route to Port Kaituma, Region One, and the area near Iron Punt where the vessel sank.
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