MV Barima survivors were found not wearing life jackets -Coast Guard Officer

Survivors of the MV Barima disaster were found clinging to floating objects including a life jacket, but none were wearing life jackets, the Commission of Inquiry heard today as the public hearings resumed this morning.

Coast Guard Petty Officer. Jeromey Agard, told the Commission that he was part of a team from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Coast Guard Headquarters that arrived at the disaster site sometime after 3am on July 19, 2025.

The vessel sank around 10:43pm on July 18, 2026 with more than 179 persons on board.

Agard said as the search light was switched on, and a sweep of the area was done, multiple survivors were seen in the water.

“They were holding onto like a wooden pallet. The second group, not too sure what they were holding onto but throughout the rescue we had persons holding onto these oil buckets. They had a team that was holding onto life jackets. So, three of them and the life jacket was at the middle, and they were holding onto it to stay afloat,” the Petty Officer explained.

Asked by the Counsel for the Commission, Teni Housty, whether any of the survivors were wearing life jackets, Agard responded in the negative.

The Commission would then hear that with the use of life rings and a rope, the GDF Coast Guard would rescue 26 survivors, pulling them into their vessel. Those survivors included men, women and children.

According to the Petty Officer, those survivors were subsequently handed over to a MARAD pilot boat, sometime after 5am that morning.

Meanwhile, Major Lloyden Layne, who also appeared before the Commission, testified that he too participated in the search and rescue operation following the tragic sinking of the vessel.

Major Layne said he was at home on July 19, 2026 when he received a call from his Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Joslyn Assanah, informing him that a vessel sank off the Essequibo Coast.

Major Layne was told he needed to do a flight from Ogle to Anna Regina. The nature of the flight was not disclosed, but Major Layne expressed concern that the Anna Regina Airstrip was unlit at the time.

“I told him it was not advisable unless the runway at Anna Regina was lit. He then asked me about flying to Hampton Court, and I told him the same thing that the airstrip was also unlit. I told him I could do either of those flights at first light or if the airstrip is lit,” Major Layne testified.

Lieutenant Assanah subsequently called back the Major, and informed him that the mission had changed. Major Layne was then told that he was required to do aerial reconnaissance using the GDF islander.

Using coordinates that had been provided, Major Layne said he successfully conducted the mission. During the mission he recalled seeing a constant red light, in a particular area but it turned out to be nothing.

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