Guyana ferry disaster: 27 bodies recovered as crew detained over drug violations
Authorities confirm 83 people remain missing from the vessel, which carried 179 souls, while the search area expands to 1,070 square kilometres with international assistance.
Authorities in Guyana have recovered 27 bodies from the MV Barima, a ferry that capsized off the coast while travelling from Georgetown to Port Kaituma, marking the country’s worst marine disaster in decades. Of the 179 people on board, 69 were rescued and 83 remain missing, with officials warning that the final death toll is likely to rise due to significant discrepancies in the passenger manifest.
Prime Minister Mark Phillips has launched an investigation into potential negligence by the ferry’s crew in the lead-up to the accident. The inquiry follows the detention of the captain and at least one other crew member after they tested positive for marijuana. Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill described the positive tests as a serious breach, stating there is a zero-tolerance policy for crew members using drugs or alcohol while on duty.
Compounding the regulatory failures, officials confirmed that 32 of the rescued passengers were not listed on the ferry’s official manifest. The vessel was initially thought to be carrying 116 passengers and 17 crew members, but the actual number of people on board was significantly higher. Edghill condemned the practice of state-run ferry terminals selling seats for cash without recording the true number of passengers, describing it as a criminal action that has been the subject of passenger complaints for years.
President Irfaan Ali visited survivors and their families in hospital, promising practical support and assistance. He described the visit as a deeply emotional experience, noting that he listened to their stories and shared in their pain and anxiety while assuring them that every practical measure would be taken to provide the necessary aid.
The search and rescue operation has been expanded from 400 to 1,070 square kilometres. The effort now includes assistance from local fishermen and a team from French Guiana, which has deployed 12 divers, two doctors, and a mechanic to aid in the recovery efforts. The distress call for the MV Barima was received approximately eight hours after the ferry began its journey in the mid-afternoon on Saturday.
