A Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the fatal sinking of the MV Barima starts substantive hearings with testimony from survivors, bereaved families and local residents. In Port Kaituma, witnesses describe what they experienced during the capsizing and sinking, while families seek answers about how the disaster unfolded and why it became deadly.
Across reports, the CoI’s community outreach is a consistent focus. Commissioners meet affected families in Port Kaituma and later in Mabaruma (Region One), encouraging survivors to provide evidence before the formal hearings begin. One outlet also reports that early testimonies include allegations of severe vessel overcrowding, misconduct related to cargo, negligence, delayed rescue, and systemic regulatory corruption. While the outlets differ in the extent of detail they include, they agree on the CoI’s early phase: gathering accounts from communities and setting the stage for formal testimony.
