GEORGETOWN: The death toll from the capsizing of a passenger ferry off the coast of Guyana has risen to 41, while 61 people remain missing as rescue teams continue an extensive search operation.
According to Guyanese authorities, 77 people have been rescued alive after the MV Barima overturned on Saturday night while traveling from Georgetown to Port Kaituma with 179 people on board.
Officials initially believed the ferry was carrying 133 passengers, but a review of boarding footage later confirmed that a total of 179 people had boarded the vessel, complicating rescue efforts.
Authorities said the ferry sent a distress signal to air traffic control at around 11 p.m. before capsizing approximately seven miles off the country’s northern Atlantic coast. Early rescue operations were hampered by darkness and a lack of advanced search equipment.
The search mission has since been reinforced with vessels equipped with advanced scanners provided by oil and gas companies, while divers have been deployed to search inside the submerged ferry for survivors and victims. The search area has also been expanded from 400 square kilometers to 1,040 square kilometers.
Public Works Minister Juan Edghill confirmed that the ferry’s captain and several crew members have been taken into custody. Medical tests reportedly found the captain and at least one crew member positive for marijuana.
Investigators also discovered that several survivors were not listed on the official passenger manifest, making it difficult to determine the exact number of missing persons. Authorities said the ferry underwent repairs in 2024 and was scheduled for a comprehensive technical inspection later this year.
