MV Barima Disaster… Death toll could reach 110

Jul 21, 2026 News

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..27 bodies recovered

…at least 83 still missing

(Kaieteur News) – The death toll following the capsizing of the MV Barima could possibly reach 110 after Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips disclosed that 27 bodies have so far been recovered, with 83 passengers still missing.

Providing an update to the media on Monday at the boardroom of his office, Phillips said updates will continue to be provided as the operation progresses. He noted that from the moment the distress signal was received until now, the primary focus has been rescuing those aboard the vessel.

“At first light today, 13 assets were deployed to augment the rescue operations that were continued throughout the night in search of the MV Barima passengers and crew. At approximately 09:26 hours, debris was sighted at sea by a pilot vessel. Shortly thereafter, GDFS Shahoud identified a substantial debris field, some 2.5 nautical miles off the coast of Devonshire Castle Flats. The body of a female was recovered off the coast at Moruca at approximately 10:45 hours,” he said.

The team, led by the Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard, had recovered an additional eight bodies by 13:49 hrs, bringing the total at that time to 10. Through the coordinated efforts of the agencies and stakeholders involved in the search, the location of the vessel, initially reported by fisherman Haresh Singh, was confirmed.

The prime minister highlighted that Singh has been assisting in the rescue operation since Sunday. He said support from other local fisherfolk, along with collaborative efforts from ExxonMobil, which utilised Sealand Surveys’ Gilligan Island survey vessel, also played a critical role in confirming the vessel’s exact location on the seabed, close to the point where the initial distress signal was received.

“That was communicated by the air traffic control tower, that is nine miles offshore Devonshire Castle Pass. The Government of France, through the French Armed Forces, has provided additional critical support with the deployment of 13 divers who have since joined the local dive teams at the confirmed vessel site,” he added.

Reminding that additional capabilities are on the way from CARICOM sister state Trinidad and Tobago, PM Phillips said the operation remains a search and rescue mission as authorities are still holding onto hope that there are survivors.

Regarding the processing, transportation and storage of the remains, he said the Ministry of Health and the Guyana Police Force have established joint protocols to address those issues. Provisions have also been made for families to identify their loved ones at the Suddie Hospital. Photographs of the recovered bodies will also be distributed to the Umana Yana and the other command centres established at Port Kaituma and Mabaruma to assist with identification.

Expressing his sadness over the loss of life, Phillips assured that every effort will be made to recover and positively identify the deceased, while the government works with affected families and communities to ensure they receive closure.

“That would include transportation, in keeping with the wishes of the family of the dead, to their communities for interment, in keeping with whatever rites they request, okay, in terms of religious services, etc. This is a serious operation, (that) calls for a lot of a dedicated approach in handling these sensitive issues,” he added.

Phillips confirmed that the search area has been expanded from the initial 400 square kilometres to 1,070 square kilometres and will continue to grow, taking into account ocean currents and the possible dispersal of bodies.

Responding to questions from the media, he confirmed that the possibility of DNA analysis has been discussed to identify remains that may be unrecognisable. He also revealed that divers are already on site and are assessing the safest time to descend to the wreck.

In a brief statement on Monday, the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) said, “Aggressive and coordinated actions by the various stakeholders have led to the positive identification of the location of the MV Barima. The potential location was identified at 13:31 hrs today by fisherman Haresh Singh, who had earlier assisted in rescue efforts yesterday. Support from local fisherfolk, along with the privately owned vessel, Gilligan Island, has been of great assistance in confirming the location of the vessel.”

The statement added that full recovery operations are now underway with assistance from the French government.

In a voice recording shared with this publication, fisherman Haresh Singh, after locating the vessel, said: “All the life jackets them floating out no coast guard nobody is out here bro. Put it over the news and call for help quick.”

He related that it was difficult to obtain photographs, but several items were seen floating in the area. Singh estimated the water depth at about 50 feet and said they waited for some time after repeatedly calling for assistance.

On 20^th July, this publication reported that a massive search and rescue operation was underway off Guyana’s coast following the capsizing of the MV Barima near the Pomeroon River. While 67 passengers had been rescued from the Atlantic, uncertainty remained over the actual number of persons on board because of what government officials described as “criminal” discrepancies in the vessel’s official manifest.

At a press conference held more than 18 hours after the disaster, Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, acting as Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, confirmed that two bodies had been recovered at the time. However, with dozens still unaccounted for, the final death toll remained uncertain.

Timeline of the Disaster

The MV Barima, an “old” vessel that was last dry-docked in 2024, departed the Port of Georgetown at approximately 3:15 p.m. on Saturday, 18^th July, 2026. It was bound for Port Kaituma in the North West District, carrying 268 tonnes of cargo, 17 crew members and an official manifest listing 116 passengers.

Disaster struck just before midnight. At approximately 11:00 p.m., the Timehri Control Tower received a frantic distress signal from the vessel. At the same time, desperate voice notes from terrified passengers began circulating. Reports indicated that the vessel listed heavily to one side before capsizing rapidly, eventually settling about seven miles offshore near Iron Punt and the mouth of the Pomeroon River.

The Maritime Emergency Rescue Coordination Centre was immediately activated. By 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, 19^th July , the Guyana Coast Guard had arrived at the scene. They were soon joined by a fleet of 15 local vessels, including 11 operated by local fisherfolk and other private sector assets.

Manifest Fraud and Captain’s Positive Test

An outraged Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, accused the vessel’s operators of compromising the rescue operation by allowing passengers to board without being listed on the official manifest. According to Edghill, only 35 of the 67 rescued passengers appeared on the manifest.

“To be confronted with a reality that despite an official manifest given to us, persons who were rescued were not manifested—that is a criminal action,” Edghill stated. “Nobody, for the want of a few extra dollars, can cheat a system… and compromise the entire search and rescue operation.”

Compounding the unfolding scandal, Edghill revealed that routine substance screening conducted after the incident produced a troubling result.

“We have a zero tolerance for members of the crew drinking or smoking while at work,” Edghill announced. “And for us to have positive tests from the captain… this is serious. People’s lives are at risk, and those matters will be dealt with.”

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• death toll, Maritime Emergency Rescue, MV Barima, ship wreck

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