Government of Guyana Takes Immediate Action
GEORGETOWN, Guyana – In a decisive move to uncover the truth behind the country’s worst maritime disaster, Guyana’s government has appointed a team of international experts to investigate the sinking of the 87-year-old MV Barima. The tragic incident occurred on June 18, when the state ferry capsized in Atlantic waters while en route to Port Kaituma, an Indigenous community near Venezuela.
According to official reports, 179 passengers were on board, but divers have so far recovered only 73 bodies, with another 76 people rescued. International teams are still working tirelessly to recover the vessel, which will be crucial in allowing experts to inspect it and determine the cause of the disaster.
Investigative Team Assembled
The five-person team, led by Belize’s former attorney general, Phillip Godfrey Smith, includes an attorney, a naval architect, and maritime experts from Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. President Irfaan Ali emphasized that the team has been given extensive powers and is expected to operate independently, with the authority to scrutinize all aspects of the incident.
The investigative team will be tasked with examining the following key factors:
- Passenger management, including embarkation, manifest preparation, and possible overcrowding of the vessel
- Storage of cargo, including vehicles and large pallets
- Availability and use of life-saving equipment
- Adherence to passenger safety requirements
- Neglect of the vessel’s condition, maintenance history, sea tides, functioning navigation and communication equipment, and other operational factors
President Ali stated that the commission will be asked to determine whether there were any acts of negligence, misconduct, dereliction of duty, or other failures by any individual, entity, or institution that contributed to or caused the disaster. The team will also be responsible for recommending institutional and operational reforms to strengthen maritime safety, improve emergency preparedness and response, and reduce the likelihood of similar tragedies occurring in the future.
Local Authorities Take Action
Local authorities have arrested three individuals, including the rescued captain, who tested positive for marijuana. Another crew member has also been detained in connection with the incident.
The rescued passengers have shared harrowing accounts of the disaster, claiming that the ferry was overloaded with passengers and cargo. They also alleged that the crew dismissed concerns about the vessel taking on water as ‘normal.’ The investigation will aim to verify these claims and shed light on the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
