Defence Headquarters, 09 MAY ‘23 (RBDF): The Royal Bahamas Defence Force has made the difficult decision to suspend the active three (3) day search for a missing boater in the Berry Islands chain.
There was no evidence of life found during the fixed wing overflights or vessel patrols in the area. Subsequently, the decision to suspend the search and rescue is one of the most difficult decisions to make, but we want the public and especially the family to know that we did everything in our power to locate Mr. Barr.
The Royal Bahamas Defence Force also expressed their sympathy to family members and thanked the various agencies and volunteers involved in the search, which included BASRA, OPBAT, USCG, the Royal Bahamas Police Force Marine Unit, members of the Grand Bahama and Bimini communities and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force.
At 9:15 p.m. on Saturday, May 6, it was reported to the Royal Bahamas Defence Force Command Center that while traveling from Chub Cay to Little Whale Cay in the Berry islands, Mr. Ryan Barr fell overboard, all attempts to rescue him failed. Additionally, an RBDF Safe boat was deployed on 8 May in which they conducted a search from Whale Cay to West of Chub Cay for eight (
hours and 45 minutes with negative results.
On the 7 May 2023 RBDF air asset along with The United States Coast Guard (OPBAT) cleared Chub Cay down to Little Whale Cay, the two agencies conducted a combined five (5) hour flight in which all efforts of finding Mr. Ryan Barr was unsuccessful.
The remaining occupant of the boat conducted a search of the immediate area with negative results. Additional civilian crafts joined in the search from Little Whale, Bird, Chub and surrounding Cays conducting an eighteen (18) hour search with all results being negative.
The Royal Bahamas Defence Force made an appeal that if anyone has new information in regard to this case to contact the Royal Bahamas Defence Force Operations Control Center at 1-242-826-3117.
