During the initial public hearings of the Commission of Inquiry regarding the MV Barima ferry incident, officials disclosed a significant safety oversight. It was revealed that the emergency distress beacon on the vessel was not properly registered with the international satellite tracking network. Testimony provided at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre indicated that this failure was not an isolated event, as only ten percent of such devices in the region are currently registered. This widespread lack of compliance created substantial obstacles for search and rescue teams, leading to critical delays in their response efforts. The inquiry aims to address these systemic failures in maritime safety protocols to prevent future complications during emergency operations.
Source : Kaieteur News
