MV Barima tragedy… Paper trail contradicts Edghill’s claims as records show repeated warnings before disaster

Aug 13, 2026 News

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(Kaieteur News) – A paper trail of internal maintenance logs, stamped requisitions, and urgent technical reports spanning nearly a year has exposed as false statements made by Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill, confirming that maritime authorities were repeatedly warned of systemic mechanical failures prior to the July 18 disaster that claimed over 100 lives.

According to the Department of Public Information (DPI), Minister Edghill, during a press briefing on July 20, dismissed allegations that the vessel was unfit for sea, asserting, “There was no report of any kind that suggested the vessel was unseaworthy. It was in line for dry docking in keeping with the schedule.”

However, official internal correspondence sent directly to the Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) and the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) Marine Office in Kingston tells a drastically different story. A review of the records identified 20 complaints of engine-related issues and eight generator-related failures, all stamped and signed by the Shore Chief Engineer and the vessel’s captain, and addressed to the Marine Superintendent.

In the wake of these disclosures, Kaieteur News understands that maritime authorities convened an emergency meeting Wednesday morning. Despite the clear paper trail, there has been no official acknowledgment of the reports by the Ministry, even as leaked monthly documents compiled by Corwin Stephen during the first quarter of 2026 reveal that critical defects were routinely left ignored.

Among the unaddressed failures documented in official logs was an ongoing issue from January 2024, in which the port and starboard engine room bilge pumps were unable to pump water from the dry space tanks due to stuck valves. During the same period, six valves in the ballast tanks remained jammed closed, preventing pumps from drawing water, while the cargo crane’s electrical sensor sat broken awaiting sourcing. By early 2025, additional defects had piled up without repair, including a defective cold room freezer fan and malfunctioning main engine controls in the wheelhouse that required private technical programming.

Engine room failures escalated further into late 2025, with the number three generator remaining out of service due to extensive internal damage, the port general service pump motor burning out, and the number one generator suffering a completely broken connecting rod that burst through the engine sump. In every instance, the column designated to record completed maintenance was left entirely blank.

In January 2026, Job No. B4/26 requested an urgent replacement turbocharger for the port main engine because the unit was actively throwing oil during operation, alongside orders for a new Hiab engine fresh water pump leaking through its seal. Requisitions filed in late 2025 reveal that an aftercooler kit and a six-cylinder exhaust manifold kit had to be requested for the port’s main engine under Job No. B4/25.

Additional handwritten records detail leaking fuel lines requiring urgent mechanical intervention, a complete lack of engine room ventilation causing extreme ambient heat, and repeated instances of main engine exhaust pipes breaking and spewing toxic gases directly into the machinery spaces. Auxiliary power was similarly crippled, with logs noting the number three generator leaking all its cooling water, the number two generator shutting down due to failing batteries, and the number one generator suffering fluctuating current, shorting starter wires, broken pump blades, damaged bearings, and sheared head studs.

These entries mirror a broader chronology of documented failures aboard the MV Barima leading up to its final voyage. In March 2026, crew members filed urgent requisitions for submerged water pumps and welding equipment for onboard repairs. Earlier, in January 2026, Chief Engineer P. Seepersaud issued a stark warning that the main engine fuel lines were “heavily corroded and can break at any time while the vessel is in operation,” alongside orders for a replacement turbocharger that was actively throwing oil.

Reports dating back to late 2025 further detail an inoperable VHF communication system, failing GPS navigation power, degraded emergency batteries, and main engines running at dangerously overheating temperatures between 197°F and 203°F. Crucially, logs from November 2025 confirmed a broken exhaust line leaking toxic gases directly into the unventilated engine room, while records from August noted shutdowns caused by sheared head studs and broken pump blades.

The 87-year-old vessel ultimately capsized on the evening of July 18 off the Essequibo coast while enroute from Georgetown to Port Kaituma, Region One, leaving 73 confirmed dead, 76 rescued, and at least 30 others missing. Captain Kevin Price, Chief Mate Rondell Dwayne Roberts and Goods Superintendent Delon Granderson have since been charged in connection with the disaster, while the government has announced a Commission of Inquiry and requested experiences entities to salvage the sunken wreck for physical examination.

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• Chief Mechanical Engineer, Juan Edghill, MV Barima, tragedy

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