– to name panel today
In keeping with a previous commitment by the Guyana Government for an independent probe, a high-level team, comprising top international experts, will be named to spearhead a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the July 18 capsizing of MV Barima, which has resulted in the deaths of 73 persons with another 30 still unaccounted for. This announcement was made by President Dr Irfaan Ali in a video statement on Saturday.
“I shall – [today, Sunday] 26 of July, 2026 – announce a five-member team to constitute that commission”, he said.
According to the Head of State, the commission will comprise distinguished experts and professionals with extensive knowledge and experience in relevant fields, including law, marine engineering, maritime safety and disaster investigation.
“The members have been carefully selected for their independence, technical expertise, and proven ability,” President Ali noted, adding that the Commission will determine its own procedures and methods of work. The commission will be tasked with conducting a thorough and impartial examination into the MV Barima tragedy, including the circumstances leading to the capsizing and sinking of the vessel, the response efforts and all other related matters. Among its work will be to identify any shortcomings or failures, recommend appropriate accountability, and propose reforms that will strengthen the safety and reliability of Guyana’s maritime transportation system.
The CoI panel will also have to examine the causes and contributing factors to the disaster, including the loading of the vessel, passenger boarding procedures, conditions on board, the vessel’s seaworthiness, maintenance history, compliance with maritime laws and safety standards, the conduct and competence of the master and crew, passenger management and lifesaving arrangements, as well as the roles of weather, sea conditions and other operational factors. Further, the commission will undertake a review of the search, rescue, and recovery operations, assessing the adequacy, coordination, and effectiveness of the response by all agencies and stakeholders involved.
Moreover, the team will be empowered to determine whether any acts of negligence, misconduct, dereliction of duty or institutional failures contributed to or caused this tragedy and to recommend any legislative, regulatory, institutional, or operational reforms necessary to prevent a recurrence. The MV Barima departed the Georgetown stelling at about 15:00h on Saturday, July 18, on its scheduled voyage to Port Kaituma, Region One (Barima-Waini), carrying 179 persons, including 18 crew members – 76 of whom survived the ordeal – and cargo. According to officials, the vessel encountered rough sea conditions off the Essequibo Coast near the mouth of the Pomeroon River late that night.
Survivors have recalled that the ferry began tilting to one side before capsizing, throwing passengers into the water in less than a minute. A distress signal transmitted at approximately 23:01h was received by aviation authorities, triggering a large-scale multi-agency emergency response that continues. Addressing concerns raised in the aftermath of the disaster, blood samples were taken from the captain and crew members for testing.
Authorities released the results showing positive tests for cannabis and subsequently arrested the captain and two crew members. Another official from the Transport and Harbours Department (THD), which manages ferry services, was also detained as part of the police investigation. Subsequently, the Government, in its initial probe into the tragic incident, uncovered that more people were aboard the vessel than had been recorded on the original passenger manifest.
That information, along with the manifest, was immediately made public. Days after the incident, the Government committed to launching an independent CoI to determine the circumstances that led to the sinking of MV Barima. Meanwhile, search and recovery operations are continuing, with divers and other technical experts deployed offshore in an ongoing effort to recover additional bodies. The sunken ferry currently lies on the seabed some nine miles off the Essequibo Coast in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam). The aim is to have the vessel positioned on its keel in order to bring it closer to shore where divers can safely enter.
Guyana is receiving support from regional partners, including the French Guiana Army, the Brazilian Navy, and the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard, which have deployed maritime assets and personnel to aid in recovering the missing persons.
This publication understands that the divers are battling harsh Atlantic conditions but remain adamant in their efforts to continue the recovery operation.
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