Guyanese authorities were allowing relatives to claim the bodies of their loved ones as the death toll from last weekend’s boating tragedy climbed to 53, on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Mark Phillips, speaking at a news conference here, said that of the bodies recovered, 15 were children, including 11 girls.
As of 6:00 pm (local time) Tuesday, the authorities had verified that 76 people were rescued, while 53 bodies had been recovered, with 26 positively identified.
Phillips acknowledged that the divers were experiencing problems in retrieving at least one body located within the MV Barima that sank almost 10 miles from the Essequibo Coast late on Saturday night.
He told reporters that divers from Brazil and Trinidad and Tobago are due here on Wednesday joining French and local divers as the grim task of retrieving as many as 60 people from the watery grave continues.
‘More divers will go down. They will go down with more equipment and it is our hope that we will reach the point where they’ll be able to safely extract the body…from the vessel.
‘But as I speak to you, yes, they did identify a body and they were unable to do it. That’s not the end of it. Efforts will still be made to recover that body,’ Phillips said.
The official manifest had 116 passengers and a 17 member crew, but the authorities said that as many as 179 passengers and crew may have been on board the 87-year-old vessel.
Prime Minister Phillips said that there’s a likelihood ‘based on the fact that they had 179 passengers on board…there is likelihood that they may encounter more bodies there.
‘We have the divers, local divers, we have the French divers, we have divers coming from Trinidad and Brazil tomorrow. So there’s a concentrated focus on dealing with searching the vessel, recovering bodies from the vessel,’ he said, adding ‘sometime in the future, the discussions as to whether we salvage the vessel and so, we will enter into those discussions in the near future.
‘But right now, the focus and the concentration is on searching and recovering as much as possible bodies from the vessel,’ Phillips said, adding that the authorities are also facilitating the release of bodies to loved ones.
‘Of those identified, 11 have already been repatriated to their respective communities upon the request of their families. Arrangements, therefore, are in place for the continuous facilitation of repatriation requests, and regional authorities remain engaged in assisting in this effort with the families to facilitate the arrangements for internment in the communities wherever the recovered persons would have hailed from.’
Prime Minister Phillips said all stakeholders participating in the search, rescue, and recovery operations are reminded ‘that any bodies recovered must be transferred immediately to the custody of the Guyana Police Force at the designated facility at the Charity River Dam in accordance with the established recovery and identification protocols’.
Phillips said that the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre remains fully operational, and search, rescue, and recovery efforts will continue ‘until every reasonable effort has been exhausted.
‘The government of Guyana extends, again, its deepest condolences to the families who have suffered unimaginable loss and remain steadfast in its commitment to supporting them through this difficult period.’
Earlier, President Irfaan Ali, issued a proclamation announcing three days of national mourning starting on Wednesday.
In the proclamation, President Ali said that ‘the tragic loss of lives, arising from the disaster involving the M.V. Barima, has brought profound and widespread sorrow and immeasurable grief throughout our nation.
‘At this time of deep national sadness, as we pause to honour the memory of those who have lost their lives, to stand with their families, to offer comfort to survivors, and to demonstrate our collective compassion and solidarity.’
Ali said during this period of national mourning all national flags of Guyana shall be flown at half-mast on Government buildings, public institutions and other appropriate locations throughout the country as a mark of respect and remembrance for those whose lives were lost.
Wednesday is also declared a National Day of Prayer and ‘on this day, Guyanese of all faiths and communities are called upon to unite in prayer, reflection and remembrance for the victims of this tragedy, for the families who mourn, for the survivors, and for the strength and healing of our nation.
‘A National Day of Prayer and Remembrance will be held at the Kingston Seawall, Georgetown, where religious leaders, families of victims, survivors, community representatives and citizens from across Guyana will gather in a spirit of prayer, reflection and solidarity.’
Ali said that Thursday shall be observed as a Night of Reflection and Prayer in Port Kaituma.
‘The people of Port Kaituma and neighbouring communities are invited to come together to remember those who have been lost, to comfort one another and to offer prayers for all affected by this national tragedy,’ Ali said, adding that Friday will be observed as a Night of Reflection and Prayer in Mabaruma.
‘The people of Mabaruma and the wider North-West District are invited to join in remembrance, prayer and reflection as the nation continues to mourn and support those impacted by this tragedy.’
Ali said he is encouraging the religious community – including churches, mosques, temples and all places of worship-together with civic organisations and citizens throughout Guyana, to host candlelight gatherings during this period of national mourning as symbols of remembrance and unity.
‘I further encourage religious communities across the country to begin tonight, Tuesday 21st July 2026, with candlelight vigils and moments of prayer in memory of the victims of this disaster.’
Prime Minister Phillips told the news conference that he is asking the nation to continue to keep those affected, their loved ones, and all personnel engaged in these operations in their thoughts and prayers as the search, rescue, and recovery continues.