The MV Commission of Inquiry was informed today that moments after he was rescued, the First Mate of the MV Barima ferry, Rondell Dwayne Roberts, who is currently facing 72 counts of murder along with two others over the tragedy, told the acting Harbour Master that the MV Barima “sank really fast.”

The acting Harbour Master, Romain Seurattan, made the disclosure when he appeared before the Commission of Inquiry (COI) today.

“He told me that the vessel sank really fast,” the Harbour Master said.

The Acting Harbour Master was part of a team from the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) that was combing the disaster site off the Essequibo Coast during the early hours of the search and rescue operation, when the First Mate along with two others were found in a life raft.

Seurattan said initially when his team arrived on the scene at 3:45 am on July 19, no one was spotted.

However, as they expanded their search, three empty life rafts were spotted, and then minutes later, the First Mate and two other persons were found.

“When we proceeded north-westerly, we saw initially three lift rafts, empty life rafts. They had flashing white lights, and as we approached the life rafts, they were empty…We proceed north-westerly until we found the fourth life raft. As we approached the fourth life raft…we found three persons on the life raft,” Seurattan recalled.

The First Mate and MV Barima Captain Kevin Price, were among the first 50 people rescued following the ferry tragedy.

While the other survivors, including the Captain, were transported to the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Floating Base at Pomeroon in a MARAD pilot vessel, the First Mate remained behind to assist the Coast Guard with the search.

Meanwhile, at Pomeroon, the survivors were placed into smaller vessels and transported to Charity for medical attention.

The Harbour Master (ag), who played a critical role in the search and rescue operation, told the Commission that before he proceeded to the disaster site, he mobilized MARAD’s vessels and personnel to respond to the tragedy.

He recalled that it was just after mid-night when he received a call from the Director of the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), Captain John Flores indicating that the MV Barima Ferry was in distress.

MARAD deployed a total of three vessels – two pilot vessels and a tug to the disaster site to aid in the search and rescue operations.  

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