Two missing after molasses barge sinks off East Coast Demerara

Last Updated on Monday, 9 March 2026, 22:52 by Writer

Two crew members went missing early on Monday morning after the tanker barge, TRADER III, with a consignment of molasses sank about 9.5 nautical miles off Buxton, East Coast Demerara, the Maritime Administration (MARAD) said.

MARAD said at about 1:00 a.m. on Monday, it received a distress signal concerning the sinking of the vessel. “At the time of the incident the barge was engaged in the transport of a cargo of molasses from Berbice to Georgetown, MARAD said in a statement.

According to MARAD, immediately after the distress communication was received, emergency response operations were activated to search for the missing persons.

MARAD’s Emergency Operations Coordinator, Capt. John Flores, is leading the search and rescue effort, with support the of Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Coast Guard, and the vessel owner, the department said.