Salvaging of MV Barima wreckage unlikely as conditions underwater remain hazardous

With the conditions at the site of the sunken ferry proving to be difficult and extremely hazardous, the Government has taken a decision not to salvage the MV Barima wreckage at this time, according to the Prime Minister Mark Phillips. On the sidelines of Monday’s sitting of the National Assembly, Prime Minister Phillips said the sunken vessel will not be salvaged at this time due to many difficulties encountered. “The vessel is likely to remain there as is. The local divers, the French divers, they are the best, and they went inside and outside the vessel and just listen to their report, it is difficult. Bringing other divers will not change the situation,” the Prime Minister told reporters. The vessel, which sank on July 18, 2026 claiming the lives of over 70 people, was located resting on the seabed, 10 miles offshore the Essequibo. The French Government has provided support in the form of 15 divers, and since Monday, they have been providing critical support to the local team of divers at the time. In a recent update to the grieving families still awaiting the bodies of their loved ones to be recovered, the Head fo the French support team said there is poor visibility in the vicinity of shipwreck. “We arrived on Monday, and since Tuesday, we conducted about 15 dives on the wreck. It is very, very hard environmental conditions especially because of the tide and the current. On the wreck it is totally dark so, it is very difficult for us to navigate through the wreck. We have to feel the wreck and it is like we are blind. So, it is too dangerous for us to enter into the wreck and because of the many ropes and the hammocks, it is very difficult to see where we are going.” the French diver explained. Prime Minister Mark Phillips He said it would be difficult to retrieve the vessel, particularly in the present conditions. “I think it is very, very hard to do such thing. I think it is very difficult because the wreck is not very strong, so, it is difficult,” the French diver said. In addition to support from the French Government, maritime assets and personnel from the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard and the Brazilian Navy are also among those at the incident site, supporting the search and recovery operations. A total of 76 persons survived the MV Barima tragedy. 73 bodies were recovered with more than 30 people still missing.