Last Updated on Sunday, 19 July 2026, 10:41 by Writer
The MV Barima ferry that sank late Saturday night off the Essequibo Coast was hit by a huge wave, public works minister Juan Edghill said Sunday morning even as a massive search and rescue operation continued to pick up more persons.
Minister Edghill said 67 persons, including a number of crew members and 15 children, were so far rescued.
Those aboard totalled 116 passengers and 17 crew members.
“From what we’re hearing, they hit a big wave. It was a big wave that canted the Barima. Preliminarily, that’s what we’re hearing from everybody who we have spoken to,” he told the adult children of 55-year-old crew member Richard Moe shortly after a news conference at the Umana Yana.
Mr Moe’s daughter, who was consoled by Maritime Administration (MARAD) Legal Advisor Thandi McAllister, remarked that her father worked with Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) since he was 14 years old.
Mr Edghill said a probe would be conducted to determine whether the vessel was “hit by any foreign object or didn’t hit anything.” “Everybody said it was so sudden we’ve been talking to,” he added.
The minister cautioned against taking everything as factual due to poor phone service signals from the area.
The government first received a distress message at 11 p.m. Saturday, and is now taking advantage of daylight hours in an expanded search that includes the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Coast Guard, MARAD, and private assets including an OMNI helicopter with their rescue swimmers.
The Ministry of Health has established emergency response operations centres in regions two and three to receive and treat rescued persons.
The government said the names of those rescued would not be released immediately.
The MV Barima was built in Scotland in the 1930s and over the years has been periodically rehabilitated to serve Port Kaituma, a riverain community, accessible by the vessel from the ocean.
