Trending/other· Updated Nov 3, 2026

Luis Martinez Dies During MV Barima Salvage Operation off Essequibo Coast

Venezuelan diver Luis Martinez died during salvage work on the sunken MV Barima off Anna Regina. BK Group cited an apparent heart attack, while calls grow for an independent safety investigation.

Photo via Kaieteur News · from BK says diver died of heart attack during salvage operations

4 reports from 3 outlets · First reported Mon, Nov 2

Summary

Luis Martinez, a 66-year-old Venezuelan diver, died after failing to resurface during MV Barima salvage work off Anna Regina.
Guyana Times +2
Police said Martinez was recovered motionless, pronounced dead, and had no visible signs of violence.
Guyana Times
BK Group said Martinez apparently suffered a heart attack and had pre-existing medical conditions.
Kaieteur News
APNU seeks an independent probe into safety measures and Martinez's transfer to Georgetown rather than a Region Two facility.
Kaieteur News

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Nov 3, 2026

BK says diver died of heart attack during salvage operations

BK Group says a 66-year-old Venezuelan diver, Luis Martinez, died during salvage work on the MV Barima in the Essequibo River from an apparent heart attack, and that he had pre-existing medical conditions. The death has intensified scrutiny of the $1.034 billion recovery effort, as families and civil society question BK International’s experience and insist the wreck be raised intact to preserve evidence.

Nov 2, 2026

Authorities silent for days after diver dies during MV Barima salvage operation

Authorities stayed silent for four days after 66-year-old Venezuelan diver Luis Martinez died during salvage work on the sunken MV Barima off the Essequibo Coast, only confirming the case after it was exposed on Facebook. Police say he failed to resurface while diving, and APNU is demanding an independent probe into safety measures and why he was taken to Georgetown instead of a nearby Region Two facility.

Nov 2, 2026

Venezuelan Diver Dies During MV Barima Salvage Operation as Questions Mount Over Recovery Efforts

Guyana police say 66-year-old Venezuelan diver Luis Martinez died during underwater salvage work tied to the MV Barima recovery about 10 nautical miles off Anna Regina. His death has intensified scrutiny of the billion-dollar effort to raise the wreck, which sank in July and left more than 100 people dead or missing.

Nov 2, 2026

Diver dies during salvage operation in Essequibo River

A 66-year-old Venezuelan diver, Luis Martinez, died after failing to resurface during a salvage operation in the Essequibo River about 10 nautical miles off Anna Regina, Region Two. Police said he was pulled from the water motionless and later pronounced dead, with no visible signs of violence. The incident highlights the risks tied to marine recovery work in Guyana as the country prepares to raise the sunken MV Barima.

Luis Martinez Dies During MV Barima Salvage Operation off Essequibo Coast

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