MV BARIMA INQUIRY HEARS FAMILIES’ CONCERNS AS QUESTIONS REMAIN OVER MISSING PASSENGERS AND VESSEL RECOVERY

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA | OCTOBER 13, 2026 — Survivors and relatives of victims of the MV Barima tragedy have raised questions about missing passengers, the recovery of the sunken vessel and the timeline for completing the investigation during a community engagement with the Commission of Inquiry (COI) in Mabaruma, Region One.

The five-member commission visited the Narie Extension Centre on Monday, October 12, ahead of the commencement of substantive hearings scheduled for Wednesday, October 14. Approximately 36 residents from Mabaruma and surrounding communities attended the meeting, including survivors and families who travelled considerable distances to meet the commissioners.

According to the Department of Public Information (DPI), the engagement was not a formal hearing or a session for recording testimony. Instead, it provided an opportunity for affected families to meet the commissioners, understand the inquiry’s objectives and raise concerns about the investigation. Commissioners also encouraged survivors to participate in the upcoming hearings, assuring them that arrangements would be made for those willing to testify in Georgetown.

Among those seeking answers was White Water Toshao Andre Cox, who raised questions on behalf of families unable to attend. He asked how long the investigation would take, when the sunken vessel would be recovered and what arrangements were being made for passengers who remained unaccounted for.

Commission Chairman Justice Godfrey P. Smith indicated that the inquiry was expected to take approximately six months to complete its findings and submit a report to President Irfaan Ali. However, he clarified that recovering the MV Barima was outside the commission’s mandate and remained the government’s responsibility.

When questioned about passengers still missing following the disaster, Justice Smith acknowledged the concern but said he did not have an answer.

The meeting also heard emotional accounts from survivors and bereaved relatives. Leon Murray, who survived alongside his son, recalled losing his wife and other children in the tragedy. Speaking after the engagement, Murray said he “thanked God they came to investigate what happened and how it happened,” adding that he “was pleased that they came.”

Another survivor, Ormon Cox, described spending hours in darkness after the vessel sank. He recalled using his belt to secure empty plastic bottles together to help keep himself afloat. Cox said recounting the experience continued to affect him physically, but he intended to provide further details when the formal hearings began.

For Leroy Jerome, the commission’s visit coincided with what would have been his son’s third birthday. His child died in the tragedy, and Jerome travelled from Barima to attend the meeting after visiting his son’s tomb.

Maria Bowring and Albert Wells also shared their loss, telling commissioners that their daughter and her children were travelling from Georgetown to visit them when the vessel sank.

The meeting highlighted continuing concerns among affected families about the circumstances of the sinking and the status of passengers who remain missing. According to the DPI report, the number of residents who died or remain unaccounted for had not yet been established in the information presented during the engagement.

The commission was appointed by President Ali to investigate the circumstances surrounding the July 18, 2026 maritime disaster and recommend measures to prevent similar incidents. Its work includes examining the vessel’s operations, relevant maritime safety procedures and the events leading to the sinking.

The inquiry is chaired by Justice Smith of Belize, alongside maritime safety specialist Captain Hamada Fouda, maritime attorney Nyree Dawn Alfonso, naval architect and marine engineer Dr Andrzej Jasionowski, and retired Rear Admiral Hayden Pritchard.

During Monday’s visit, commissioners also inspected the Mabaruma wharf and cargo area before returning to Georgetown. The commission was scheduled to visit Port Kaituma on Tuesday as part of its preliminary engagements.

With substantive hearings set to begin Wednesday, survivors and bereaved families are expected to have further opportunities to provide evidence concerning the tragedy, which occurred after the MV Barima departed Georgetown for Mabaruma and Port Kaituma on July 18.