The Government of Guyana has confirmed that the location of the sunken MV Barima has been identified, allowing authorities to transition from search and rescue efforts to a full-scale recovery operation.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Government said the breakthrough came through “aggressive and coordinated actions” by the various agencies and partners involved in the operation.
According to the statement, the vessel’s location was first identified at 1:31 p.m. by fisherman Haresh Singh, who had also assisted with rescue efforts on Sunday.
Government said the information provided by Singh enabled the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) to direct all assets operating at sea to the area, where the vessel’s location was subsequently confirmed.
Officials also credited local fisherfolk and the privately owned vessel Gilligan Island for assisting in confirming the location of the wreck.
With the vessel now located, authorities have officially entered full recovery mode.
The Government also confirmed that the French Government has deployed a 15-member specialist team, including 12 divers, to assist local divers at the recovery site.
Bodies recovered during the operation will be transported to the Charity Hospital for processing by health and police authorities. Relatives will subsequently be invited to the Suddie Hospital to assist with the identification process.
The MV Barima capsized late Saturday night while travelling from Georgetown to Port Kaituma after issuing a distress signal off the Pomeroon coast. The tragedy triggered one of Guyana’s largest maritime search operations, involving the Guyana Coast Guard, the Guyana Defence Force, emergency response agencies, private marine operators, volunteer fisherfolk and international partners.
As of Monday afternoon, 10 bodies had been recovered, while authorities continue efforts to account for every person who was aboard the vessel at the time of the incident. Government has also launched a comprehensive investigation into the tragedy after significant discrepancies were discovered in the vessel’s passenger manifest and the captain and first engineer tested positive for cannabis following their rescue.
