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Guyana moves to salvage sunken MV Barima ferry
The 87‑year‑old passenger and cargo ferry MV Barima capsized and sank on 18 July 2026 while en route from Georgetown to Port Kaituma. The disaster left 73 people dead, at least 30 missing and 77 rescued, with one survivor later dying.
In response to mounting public pressure, the Government of Guyana issued a Request for Proposals for qualified marine‑salvage contractors to recover the wreck. The Maritime Administration (MARAD) emphasized that the salvage must protect and document forensic evidence for the newly sworn‑in Commission of Inquiry. Opposition leader Azruddin Mohamed hailed the decision as a victory for families demanding truth and closure, while urging the operation to begin immediately. The government also dropped a proposal to create a memorial site at the wreck, opting instead to focus on retrieving the vessel’s “bones” for investigation.
The wreck lies in soft mud at a depth of about 13‑15 metres (42‑49 ft) near latitude 07° 28′ N, longitude 058° 23′ W. Contractors are required to demonstrate recent experience in Caribbean salvage operations and to propose robust methods for dealing with poor visibility, strong currents and tidal streams.
Entities
Azruddin Mohamed · Commission of Inquiry (Guyana) · Government of Guyana · Irfaan Ali · Juan Anthony Edghill · Louise Williams · MV Barima · MV Barima · Maritime Administration (MARAD) · Rosalinda Rasul
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] MV Barima sank on 18 July 2026 while traveling from Georgetown to Port Kaituma. demerarawaves.com · kaieteurnewsonline.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Government of Guyana issued a Request for Proposals to salvage MV Barima. demerarawaves.com · kaieteurnewsonline.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The sinking resulted in 73 deaths and at least 30 missing persons. demerarawaves.com · kaieteurnewsonline.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Opposition leader Azruddin Mohamed praised the decision to salvage the vessel and urged urgency. demerarawaves.com · kaieteurnewsonline.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] 77 people were rescued and one survivor later died. demerarawaves.com · kaieteurnewsonline.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The salvage operation must protect and document forensic evidence for the Commission of Inquiry. demerarawaves.com · kaieteurnewsonline.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The wreck lies in water depths of about 13‑15 metres near latitude 07° 28′ N, longitude 058° 23′ W. demerarawaves.com · kaieteurnewsonline.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The government abandoned plans for a memorial site at the wreck. demerarawaves.com · kaieteurnewsonline.com