By| Travis Chase | HGP Nightly News|
A frantic search-and-rescue operation is entering its third day in the Atlantic Ocean after a tanker barge, the TRADER III, sank approximately 9.5 nautical miles off the coast of Buxton in the early hours of Monday morning, March 9, 2026.
The vessel, which was transporting a cargo of molasses from Berbice to Georgetown, sent out a distress signal to the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) at approximately 01:00 hrs, reporting that it was taking on water and in imminent danger.
The Missing Crew: A Family’s Desperate Wait
Two men remain unaccounted for following the vessel’s disappearance beneath the waves. The search is complicated by the remote location and the time elapsed since the sinking.
- Ravindra Bissoondyal (22): Known as “Videsh,” of Goed Bananen Land, Berbice. A father of one, Bissoondyal made a harrowing final phone call to his mother just after midnight.
- Gregory Singh (52): A veteran seaman who was also on board the barge at the time of the incident.
“He called his mother and said he was on the barge and that the barge was sinking.” — Relative of Ravindra Bissoondyal
Search and Rescue Operations
The search effort is being managed by MARAD’s Emergency Operations Coordinator, Captain John Flores. The operation is a multi-agency effort designed to cover a wide radius from the last known coordinates of the distress signal.
| Agency | Role |
| GDF Coast Guard | Deploying patrol vessels for surface searches and monitoring drift patterns. |
| MARAD | Coordinating communications and overseeing technical recovery planning. |
| Vessel Owner | Providing logistical support and private resources to aid the search. |
| Air Corps (GDF) | Conducting aerial reconnaissance over the East Coast maritime zone. |
The Fate of the Tug Boat
According to the latest reports from the Guyana Standard, the four crew members who were aboard the tug boat towing the barge—including the captain—have been found alive and are unharmed. It appears the barge detached or began sinking so rapidly that the two men stationed on the TRADER III were unable to reach the safety of the tug.
Marudi Mining & Local Context
This maritime disaster follows a week of intense scrutiny over Guyana’s borders and natural resources. While the Coast Guard is occupied with the search off Buxton, authorities are also monitoring the South Rupununi after the SRDC distanced itself from controversial Brazilian investor Rodrigo Cataratas amid reports of illegal airstrips near Marudi Mountain.
