Barima ferry disaster leaves 27 dead, 83 missing in Guyana
At least 27 people are dead, including four children, after the Barima passenger ferry capsized off Guyana late Saturday, officials said Monday. Some 83 people remain missing and 69 have been rescued, while investigators probe an inaccurate manifest and crew drug tests amid one of the country’s largest maritime searches.
Key Takeaways
- The MV Barima capsized late Saturday on a Georgetown-to-Port Kaituma run; Guyana has recovered 27 bodies so far.
- Officials now put roughly 179 people aboard, versus a manifest that listed only 133.
- At least 69 people were rescued; 83 are still unaccounted for as search teams expand the area.
- The captain and a crew member tested positive for cannabis; both are in police custody as a wrongdoing probe begins.
The disaster has become a national trauma in Guyana, an English-speaking South American nation of nearly one million people. President Irfaan Ali said the tragedy had “pierced the heart of our nation” and promised a transparent investigation into what went wrong.
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What happened to the Barima ferry?
According to authorities, the state-run MV Barima overturned late Saturday night roughly seven miles offshore while sailing from the capital, Georgetown, to Port Kaituma, a remote gold-mining outpost in northwestern Guyana.
Air traffic control received a distress call around 11 p.m. Saturday. Early rescue work was slowed by darkness and a lack of vessels with scanners, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill said, forcing teams to rely on eyesight and sound.
Oil-and-gas companies later deployed scanner-equipped vessels, divers entered the ferry, and the search zone grew to about 1,040 square kilometers (401 square miles). France also sent a 15-member team with divers from French Guiana to help.
CNN reported that Guyana’s government confirmed 27 bodies recovered Monday, with Prime Minister Mark Phillips saying 69 people had been rescued and 83 were still missing.
Why does the passenger count matter?
Officials first said 133 people were aboard. After reviewing boarding footage and comparing it with survivors, they concluded the ferry may have carried about 179 people, including crew.
Some rescued passengers were not on the manifest, which has complicated the search because authorities are unsure how many people they are looking for. The New York Times reported public anger over whether tickets were sold without names being recorded.
Phillips said the vessel reported cargo of 268 tons against a 284-ton capacity and was licensed for more than 300 passengers, with 250 life jackets and multiple life rafts. Maintenance work was done in 2024, and dry docking was planned later this year, Edghill said.
Is there a criminal investigation into the Barima sinking?
Yes. The captain and other crew members are in police custody. Edghill said the captain and at least one other crew member tested positive for marijuana after being rescued, fueling questions about whether impairment played a role. The cause of the capsizing is not yet established.
Phillips said an investigation was launched into possible wrongdoing involving members of the police force, the defense force, and the maritime administration. “Where negligence, misconduct or criminal wrongdoing is established, those responsible will face the full force of the law,” he said.
Ali, who met survivors and relatives near the scene, said families “deserve to know precisely what transpired, and whether any failures contributed to this heartbreaking event.” Finding survivors remains the top priority, he added.
Survivor Leon Murray told local outlet Ignite News that someone shouted the boat was sinking about four hours after leaving Georgetown. He swam to the surface, clung to a life jacket, and later found his son and three others on a floating box. His wife, daughter, and four grandchildren have not been found.