MV Barima's confirmed death toll now 73, 30 unaccounted for

What this source establishes

Denis Chabrol reports for Demerara Waves on Prime Minister Mark Phillips's Friday evening briefing, giving detailed casualty figures: 73 bodies recovered, 69 identified, 63 released to families, six to be taken to home communities, 22 funerals held, and 30 unaccounted for against a working figure of 179. Phillips declined to say how many of the rescued and recovered were on the official manifest of 116 passengers and 16 crew. The report records Phillips stating the government has 'no such record' of the captain issuing a May Day call or ordering life jackets, and that this will be a matter for the Commission of Inquiry.

Figures cited in this source

73 bodies recovered, 69 positively identified, 63 released to families, 6 to be taken to home communities; 30 unaccounted for against a working number of 179 passengers and crew; 22 funerals held; official manifest of 116 passengers and 16 crew

Key claims

• Prime Minister Mark Phillips said on Friday evening that 73 bodies have been recovered with 69 positively identified.
• Based on the government's working number of 179 passengers and crew, 30 persons were so far unaccounted for.
• The search area was expanded by an additional 32 square miles, from Waini in the west to Adventure in the east offshore the Essequibo Coast.
• Several boats were on standby to right the MV Barima, which is lying on its side; if righted, more bodies were expected to be found.
• Phillips said: 'These operations will continue for as long as necessary to ensure that every possible effort is made to account for those affected with utmost care, dignity, and respect.'
• 63 bodies were so far released to families and six were to be taken to their respective communities; 22 funerals had been held.
• Three aircraft and 14 marine vessels were involved in the operation.
• Phillips declined to say how many of the rescued persons and recovered bodies were on the official manifest of 116 passengers and 16 crew members.
• MARAD Director-General Stephen Thomas said the MV Barima had a capacity of 394 passengers and 120 tonnes of cargo, after being pressed on whether the passenger capacity was 150.
• Phillips said 'We have no such record' that the captain issued a May Day call and asked passengers to put on their life jackets, and said that would be part of an 'independent commission of inquiry'.
• Phillips said President Irfaan Ali and the cabinet would have to decide whether to involve the opposition in the COI process.

Quotations

• “These operations will continue for as long as necessary to ensure that every possible effort is made to account for those affected with utmost care, dignity, and respect.”— Mark Phillips, Prime Minister of Guyana
• “We have no such record”— Mark Phillips, Prime Minister, on whether the captain issued a May Day call and told passengers to put on life jackets

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