Guyana ferry disaster: 27 dead, 83 missing amid probe

At least 27 people have drowned and 83 remain missing after the passenger ferry MV Barima capsized off Guyana on Saturday night, officials said. Sixty-nine people were rescued from the vessel, which was carrying an estimated 179 passengers and crew—far more than the official manifest listed.

Key Takeaways

• The MV Barima overturned en route from Georgetown to Port Kaituma; 27 bodies have been recovered and 83 people are still missing.
• Prime Minister Mark Phillips put the aboard total at about 179, well above the registry figure of 133.
• The captain and at least one crew member tested positive for cannabis and were taken into police custody.
• Authorities have opened a criminal investigation into negligence, misconduct, and an inaccurate passenger list.

What happened when the MV Barima capsized off Guyana?

The ferry left Guyana's capital, Georgetown, on Saturday afternoon bound for Port Kaituma in the country's northwest. A distress call came in at 23:01 local time after the vessel overturned at sea.

Survivor Elena Moonsammy told local outlet Kiskadee Watch the ferry tilted after a large wave hit, with water rushing in within seconds. She said she clung to a floating box and was separated from her two-year-old child. Coast Guard units, private craft, fishing boats, and civilian volunteers joined the search, later expanded across more than 1,000 sq km.

According to BBC News, French military divers from nearby French Guiana also joined the operation. Guyana's Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony, said three survivors remained in hospital with minor injuries; at least 15 children were among those rescued.

Why is the crew under criminal scrutiny?

Public Works Minister Juan Edghill said the captain and at least one crew member tested positive for cannabis and were detained. "We have zero tolerance for members of the crew drinking or smoking while at work," he told reporters, calling the positive tests "serious."

Phillips ordered a full investigation involving police, the defence force, and maritime officials. He warned that negligence, misconduct, or criminal wrongdoing would meet "the full force of the law." Edghill called the sinking Guyana's worst marine disaster in decades and accused operators of trying to "cheat the system."

For related coverage of investigations and unresolved cases, see BlasterPost's True Crime & Unsolved Mysteries section.

How did the wrong passenger list complicate the Guyana search?

Officials first cited a manifest of 116 passengers and 17 crew. Phillips later said he was "confident" 179 people had been aboard. Al Jazeera reported that 32 of those rescued were not on the ferry's list, inflating the potential toll.

Edghill said terminal staff had long sold seats for cash without recording true passenger numbers—conduct he labelled "a criminal action." The flawed list slowed efforts to identify who was missing as divers and boats continued the search. President Irfaan Ali visited survivors and relatives, pledging practical support while families wait for answers.