The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) had only one deployable helicopter when the MV Barima distress alert was received, an officer told investigators Friday.
Capt. Simon Gordon, a flight operations officer, said the single-engine Bell 407 was the only helicopter available for deployment July 19. He could not tell the five-member commission why the other helicopters were unavailable, saying maintenance and flight-operations personnel would need to answer that question.
Gordon said responders initially lacked a precise location for the vessel. Confirming a distress alert, identifying an available aircraft and assembling a crew could take between one hour and 90 minutes, he testified.
A separate operational account said Gordon received a WhatsApp briefing at approximately 12:40 a.m. The Bell 407 was fueled and ready by 1:30 a.m., transported drone operators to Hampton Court and was followed by a BN Islander reconnaissance aircraft shortly before 3 a.m.
The inquiry also heard that Coast Guard personnel received coordinates connected to the maritime distress signal at 11:07 p.m. A Metal Shark crew reportedly left the Pomeroon floating base approximately 15 to 20 minutes later.
Midshipman Rahul Ramsarup said the trip toward Anna Regina normally took about two hours but could take four hours at night because the vessel had to travel more slowly. Its roof-mounted spotlight provided limited long-range visibility, and communication was later interrupted when a Starlink battery failed.
A Maritime Administration Department pilot boat arrived at the floating base at approximately 7:30 a.m. with 50 survivors, the ferry’s captain and one deceased person. Ramsarup said those survivors had been rescued between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m.
Between July 19 and July 22, combined teams recovered 69 survivors and 71 bodies, according to figures presented to the commission Friday. Those numbers describe the initial response period and should not be treated as the final reconciled casualty count.
Later aerial searches also had limitations. Lt. Col. Kevin Langevine said he conducted three Bell 407 flights along the coast July 22, 24 and 25 but found no survivors or bodies. Crews flew low and relied on visual observation without specialized detection equipment.
