T&T deploys Coast Guard and aircraft to aid MV Barima Search

July 20 2026

Trinidad and Tobago has deployed Coast Guard personnel, specialised search-and-rescue equipment, and a Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (TTDF) C-26 surveillance aircraft to assist Guyana’s ongoing search-and-rescue operation following the deadly sinking of the MV Barima.

The confirmation came from Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who told I.A.N News early Monday that the TTDF had been mobilised to support the operation.

“Yes, the Coast Guard is sending search and rescue equipment and personnel,” Persad Bissessar said. She further confirmed that “a search-and-rescue C-26 aircraft is also being sent for aerial support” as authorities continue searching for survivors and those still unaccounted for.

The deployment marks a significant escalation in regional assistance following the MV Barima disaster, which occurred late Saturday night while the passenger and cargo ferry was travelling from Georgetown to Port Kaituma.

The tragedy has become one of Guyana’s worst maritime disasters in decades and has prompted an extensive multi-agency search operation involving the Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard, private vessels, local fisherfolk and emergency responders.

During a media briefing on Sunday, Guyana’s Prime Minister and acting President, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, confirmed that Trinidad and Tobago was among several Caribbean nations that had offered assistance in the aftermath of the tragedy. With the latest announcement from Port of Spain, that offer has now been converted into active operational support through the deployment of both maritime and aerial search assets.

Authorities continue to search for those still missing as investigators work to establish the circumstances surrounding the sinking.

The disaster has also exposed serious irregularities in the vessel’s passenger records. Officials revealed that only 35 of the 67 people rescued were listed on the official passenger manifest, making it impossible to determine exactly how many people were aboard when the vessel capsized.

Authorities have also confirmed that the captain and another crew member tested positive for cannabis and remain in police custody as a criminal investigation gets underway.

As the investigation intensifies, the Guyana Government has suspended the team responsible for the loading and dispatch of the MV Barima to protect the integrity of the inquiry while surveillance footage and other evidence are reviewed.

Regional support continues to grow as search crews race against time, with Trinidad and Tobago’s Coast Guard and TTDF aircraft expected to strengthen aerial surveillance and maritime search capabilities in the effort to locate those who remain unaccounted for.