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‘Search Over’ …Govt. calls off MV Barima operations, several bodies still to be identified
(Kaieteur News) – Government has officially ended search and recovery operations for victims of the MV Barima tragedy, bringing to an end weeks of intensive efforts following one of Guyana’s worst maritime disasters.
In an update on Tuesday, the Office of the Prime Minister said while active search operations have ceased, the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) remains operational to coordinate any further reports or developments linked to the tragedy.
The government also confirmed that several of the recovered bodies have not yet been identified, with forensic experts continuing the identification process. Families will be notified as soon as positive identifications are made.
The sunken MV Barima vessel.
The MV Barima capsized on 18th July, about 10 nautical miles off the coast of Region Two between Better Success and Dartmouth while travelling from Georgetown to Port Kaituma. The vessel, operated by the Transport and Harbours Department, sank with passengers and cargo onboard, leaving scores dead, others injured and several initially reported missing.
Although the search has ended, authorities said the MRCC will continue to monitor the area, receive reports from passing vessels and coordinate any response should additional information emerge.
The latest update comes as the government presses ahead with its investigation into the disaster.
President Irfaan Ali has already established Commission of Inquiry (COI) to determine what led to the tragedy. The five-member panel is chaired by retired judge Justice Godfrey Phillip Smith. Other commissioners include Captain Hamada Fouda (Jamaica), Rear Admiral (Rt’d) Hayden Pritchard (Trinidad and Tobago), Nyree Dawn Alfonso (Trinidad and Tobago), and forensic naval engineering expert Dr. Andrzej Jasionowski (Poland).
According to the Extraordinary Gazette, the commission’s detailed Terms of Reference mandate a thorough investigation across six critical areas surrounding the disaster. The panel will conduct a full examination of the vessel’s safety and seaworthiness, including hull condition, stability, machinery, maintenance history, and statutory approvals. It will perform comprehensive audits of passenger and cargo operations, examining manifest accuracy, passenger counts, potential overcrowding, cargo loading procedures, and the availability of life-saving equipment. Furthermore, the inquiry will evaluate human factors, assessing crew qualifications, fatigue, operational readiness, and emergency decision-making during the crisis.
The scope also encompasses a thorough review of the search and rescue response, evaluating the speed, coordination, and overall effectiveness of efforts executed by the Coast Guard, the Guyana Police Force, local fisherfolk, and emergency services. Regulatory oversight will also come under scrutiny, with audits planned for supervisory oversight by state entities, specifically the Transport and Harbours Department and the Maritime Administration Department. Crucially, the panel holds explicit authority to refer any evidence of criminal negligence, official misconduct, or statutory breaches directly to legal and prosecuting authorities.
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