(Kaieteur News) – State authorities remained silent for four days following the death of a 66-year-old Venezuelan diver during the salvage operation of the sunken MV Barima in the Essequibo River, issuing an official statement only after an activist publicly disclosed details of the incident on Facebook.
The deceased, identified as Luis Martinez, was employed as a diver during an operation to refloat a submerged vessel off the coast of Region Two when he reportedly failed to resurface.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) said investigators were probing an incident which occurred on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at approximately 18:30 hrs., about 10 nautical miles off the coast of Anna Regina.
Martinez, a Venezuelan national, was reportedly among several crew members participating in the operation.
BK International was awarded a contract valued at more than $1 billion to salvage the MV Barima, which sank off the Essequibo Coast on July 18, claiming the lives of more than 100 people. The remains of over 30 victims are still to be recovered.
However, details of the ongoing salvage operation have not been publicly disclosed.
According to the police, preliminary investigations revealed that Martinez departed the Kingston Wharf, Georgetown, at approximately 17:14 hrs. aboard a vessel with several other crew members to participate in the operation to refloat the submerged vessel.
The operation took a tragic turn shortly after the crew arrived at the site.
“Upon arrival at the location, Martinez reportedly entered the water to carry out diving operations. However, after approximately 20 minutes, he failed to resurface, causing concern among the crew members,” the police stated.
The crew subsequently initiated an emergency recovery operation.
Police said Martinez was pulled from the water using a rope attached to his body and was found motionless and frothing at the mouth.
Despite the incident occurring approximately 10 nautical miles off Anna Regina, the vessel transported Martinez back to Georgetown rather than seeking emergency medical assistance along the Essequibo Coast.
According to the police, Martinez was taken to the Transport and Harbours Department Wharf at Stabroek, Georgetown, where ambulance personnel were summoned.
He was pronounced dead by a doctor on duty at approximately 02:30 hrs. on Thursday, October 29.
The police further stated that an examination of Martinez’s body revealed no marks of violence on the exposed parts.
His body was subsequently escorted to Memorial Gardens Funeral Home, where it is awaiting a post-mortem examination.
The GPF said investigations into the incident are ongoing.
Following the police disclosure, the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), issued a press statement condemning the government’s handling of the incident, citing poor preparedness and a questionable emergency response.
APNU said the circumstances demand a thorough, transparent, and independent examination. The opposition coalition argued that the tragedy raises fundamental questions regarding the preparedness and management capacity of the Government of Guyana and its oversight agencies.
“Any prudent manager planning and supervising a complex and inherently dangerous underwater salvage operation would ensure that the necessary emergency response arrangements were established before the operation commenced,” the release read, questioning whether qualified medical personnel, resuscitation equipment, and oxygen supplies were present on board.
The coalition also criticised the decision to bypass nearby medical facilities on the Essequibo Coast: “The incident occurred approximately 10 nautical miles off the coast of Anna Regina. Given the location, serious questions must be asked about why the nearest appropriate medical facility on the Essequibo Coast in Region Two was not utilised… Was it considered that the time spent travelling by water to Georgetown could have been better utilised in accessing emergency medical assistance on land?”
Labeling the incident as yet another demonstration of governmental ineptitude and poor management, the PNCR/APNU called on the administration to urgently address six critical demands regarding the operation.
First, the coalition demanded that the government publicly clarify whether the fatal diving operation was directly connected to the MV Barima salvage contract and name all companies and contractors involved. Furthermore, officials must disclose the exact safety protocols and emergency medical arrangements in place, including the availability of trained personnel and essential equipment.
The coalition also insisted that the administration explain why Martinez was bypassed for local care in Region Two and transported to Georgetown instead. To ensure accountability, the PNCR/APNU called for an independent investigation into the death, the emergency response, and the adequacy of existing safety frameworks.
Finally, the PNCR/APNU urged the government to publish the full details of the MV Barima salvage contract, including operational timelines and safety standards, and to provide regular, verifiable progress updates to the public and the victims’ grieving families.
“The MV Barima must be refloated. The truth must be established. Accountability must prevail,” the statement concluded.
Source: Kaieteur News
