MV Barima team suspended as probe moves ahead

The team responsible for the loading, dispatch, and overall management of MV Barima has been suspended as local authorities probe the circumstances that led to the tragedy.

In a Facebook post, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill said this move aims to guarantee the absolute integrity of the upcoming inquiry. By removing the team from the workplace, the government intends to prevent any potential tampering with or interference in evidence and materials, thereby ensuring a completely fair and unprejudiced outcome.

“As part of the soon-to-come investigation, video footage from the Kingston Goods Wharf—the point of departure for the MV Barima—has already been extracted by the Guyana Police Force for a comprehensive review. This critical surveillance data is expected to provide vital insights into the sequence of events leading up to the incident,” Edghill said too.

The passenger and cargo ferry capsized about seven miles offshore near the mouth of the Pomeroon River on Saturday night while travelling from Georgetown to the North West District.

The number of rescued remains at 67, while two people have been confirmed dead. Search and rescue operations continued overnight, with the Guyana Defence Force, Coast Guard, private vessels and local fisherfolk continuing to scour the area. Guyana has also received offers of assistance from regional and international partners.

Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips said rescue teams have been working continuously since the distress signal was received shortly after 11:00 p.m. on Saturday.

However, the search has become significantly more complicated after authorities discovered major discrepancies in the vessel’s passenger manifest.

Public Works Minister Juan Edghill said officials initially believed they were searching for 116 passengers and 17 crew members, based on the official manifest. But investigations revealed that only 35 of the 67 rescued were listed on the passenger manifest, meaning 32 survivors were never officially recorded as passengers before the vessel left Georgetown.

The vessel’s cargo manifest showed it was carrying 268 tonnes of cargo, below its licensed capacity of 284 tonnes. But now that is also under question.

The discovery means authorities no longer know how many people were actually aboard the ferry when it capsized.