Survivor says may have lost seven relatives in MV Barima capsizing

What this source establishes

Kiskadee Watch, the Guyanese outlet the BBC credits as the origin of this account, carries testimony from four survivors. Elena Moonsammy states she lost seven relatives and that boxes stowed at the rear shifted. A survivor identified as Adreiena states the engine stopped twice before departure and that no pump was available when water entered. Businessman Donald Modeste states the vessel was stuck on a sandbank at the wharf and then sailed on one engine. A fourth survivor describes about six hours in the water.

Key claims

• Survivor 'Adreiena' states the vessel's engine had stopped TWICE before departure - directly contrary to Minister Edghill's statements of 19-20 July ('There was no engine problem or any mechanical problem') and 22 July ('there was no reported engine troubles from the crew when the boat came in and when the boat left')
• Businessman Donald Modeste states the vessel ran on ONE engine after being freed from a sandbank at the wharf, with a mechanic working on the engine before departure
• Modeste states the ferry was stuck on a sandbank at the wharf for almost an hour before departure
• 'Adreiena' states no pump was available to remove water entering the vessel, and that water reached the engine
• 'Adreiena' states she heard the captain say the boat was going down
• Elena Moonsammy states she lost seven relatives, five girls and two boys, youngest aged two - and that the rear of the vessel was heavily packed with boxes which shifted
• The article states sleeping passengers were apparently not wearing life jackets
• Wayne Kitson, 18, states he spent about six hours in the water, from about 22:00 to 04:00
• [CONTESTED] departure time: 'Adreiena' gives about 17:00; official accounts give about 15:15
• Modeste states he received G$100,000 and was told no further compensation would be paid for approximately G$1.8m in lost goods

This page is a research summary prepared for comment and review. It is not the article. Copyright in the original remains with Kiskadee Watch; the full text is held only in the private research corpus from which this archive was compiled. Follow the link above to read it at the source.