Relatives of victims of the MV Barima disaster gathered outside the Office of the President yesterday and began protesting at around 10 a.m., the families said. One protester, Preston John, displayed a placard reading “Float the boat.”
According to the information released, the MV Barima sank on 18 July 2026 while travelling from Georgetown to Port Kaituma in Region One. Seventy‑six people were rescued, while seventy‑three bodies were recovered, including the victim Oxwell John, the report noted. Five of the recovered bodies remained unidentified and about 30 people are still unaccounted for. The wreck lies in approximately 13 to 15 metres of water. The incident is described as the country’s deadliest maritime disaster and the active search and recovery phase has been brought to an end.
The deadline for expressions of interest in the salvage operation was 14 August 2026, the brief stated, and more than ten expressions of interest were believed to have been received.
