A body was recovered from inside the MV Barima during diving operations on Friday, increasing the total number of bodies recovered following the ferry disaster to 73.
Prime Minister Mark Phillips said five dives were completed during the day, each lasting between 45 and 60 minutes. The dives focused on searching the wreckage and preparing the vessel for a possible righting operation.
Phillips said the vessel, which remains on its side, had not yet been moved. Poor underwater visibility caused by murky and muddy conditions continues to affect the operation.
Of the 73 bodies recovered, 69 have been positively identified. Sixty-three have been released to their families, while arrangements are being made to transport the remaining six identified bodies to their respective communities.
The designated search area was expanded by an additional 32 square miles, stretching westwards to Waini Point and eastwards to Adventure. Aerial surveillance also continued.
Fourteen vessels and three aircraft remain involved in the search-and-recovery operation.
Based on the government’s estimate that 179 people were aboard the ferry and the previously confirmed 76 survivors, the updated figures leave 30 people unaccounted for. Officials said work continues to reconcile the names of survivors and those recovered with the vessel’s manifest.
OilNOW reported on Thursday that efforts to reposition the wreck had encountered difficulties. President Irfaan Ali said a full salvage operation would be discussed with affected families if attempts to reposition the vessel and access its interior were unsuccessful.
The government said search-and-recovery operations would continue for as long as necessary.
