By Travis Chase | HGP Nightly News|
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — HGP Nightly News has obtained a series of leaked internal maintenance records revealing that severe mechanical, electrical, and structural defects aboard the M.V. Barima were repeatedly documented and flagged for urgent repair months prior to the vessel’s catastrophic July 18 capsizing.
The handwritten engineering logs and defect notifications—spanning November 2025 through March 2026—detail systemic equipment failures, including an out-of-service auxiliary generator, leaking exhaust systems spilling fumes into the engine room, overheating propulsion machinery, damaged electrical panels, and degraded battery banks.
Key Defect Log Findings (November 2025 – March 2026)
Multiple requests submitted directly through the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) Marine Office were explicitly marked with handwritten notations demanding URGENT action.
- Generator Failure (Nov 30, 2025): The vessel’s No. 1 primary generator was logged as completely “out of service” due to a failed water pump, leaving the vessel reliant on secondary power backup.
- Port Engine Overheating (Nov 30, 2025): Operating logs recorded the port main-engine heat exchanger running at dangerous temperatures reaching 197°F to 203°F, requiring immediate overhaul.
- Exhaust Gas Leak (Nov 30, 2025): Engineers requested urgent welder intervention to seal a leaking exhaust line on the starboard main engine, which was leaking toxic exhaust gases directly into the enclosed engine room while underway.
- Electrical Panel Burnout (Nov 28, 2025): While docked at the Port Kaituma landing, the vessel suffered a total blackout. Subsequent inspection revealed that internal wiring and connectors inside the main shore-to-generator changeover panel had completely burnt out, rendering re-connection impossible.
Mounting Questions for Commission of Inquiry
The emergence of these internal records sharpens public scrutiny surrounding maritime oversight, vessel certification, and operational safety within the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD).
As the 5-member international Commission of Inquiry (COI)—chaired by Justice Godfrey Smith—prepares to take formal evidence, maritime investigators and legal counsel face critical questions:
- Which specific mechanical and electrical defects were rectified between March 2026 and the vessel’s final voyage on July 18?
- Which Marine Office officials or Shore Chief Engineers certified the M.V. Barima as seaworthy to transport passengers and heavy cargo along the Georgetown-to-Mabaruma route?
- Did outstanding engine or generator failures contribute directly to power loss or pumps failing during the vessel’s passage?
Human Toll of the Disaster
According to official state figures, an estimated 179 passengers and crew were aboard the M.V. Barima when it sank off the Essequibo Coast on July 18, 2026. To date, 73 bodies have been recovered, with 69 positively identified, while dozens remain unaccounted for.
Vessel Captain Kevin Price, Chief Mate Rondell Dwayne Roberts, and T&HD Goods Superintendent Delon Granderson currently remain remanded in custody, each facing 72 counts of murder as parallel criminal prosecutions proceed.
