Ferry capsizes off Guyana, authorities searching for 66 missing passengers

Lead

A ferry carrying more than 100 people capsized off the coast of Guyana over the weekend, triggering a large-scale search and rescue operation, with conflicting reports about the number of passengers on board and the number of survivors. The MV Barima was traveling from the capital, Georgetown, to the northwestern town of Port Kaituma when it overturned late Saturday, according to officials and local media reports.

Coverage Comparison

Reports from multiple sources provide differing figures on the number of people on board and the number of rescued. Deutsche Welle reported that 133 people were on board and 67 have been rescued. The Jerusalem Post, quoting the Guyanese government, said 179 people were on board, with 69 rescued and 83 still missing. The South China Morning Post also reported 133 passengers and 67 rescued. Two TASS reports gave different numbers: one said approximately 116 people were aboard with eight rescued, while another said at least 116 were on board and 53 had been rescued.

These discrepancies may reflect changing information as the rescue operation unfolded. The government's National Communications Network, as cited by the Jerusalem Post, said 69 people had been rescued and 83 remained missing. Prime Minister Mark Phillips gave a breakdown of the rescued in another account, saying they included 41 men, 11 women, six boys, and nine girls.

Key Claims

The vessel, a ferry carrying more than 100 people, capsized off the coast of Guyana, with reports varying on the exact number of passengers. The ferry was traveling from Georgetown to Port Kaituma, as confirmed by multiple sources.

Rescue operations began after air traffic control received a distress call around 11 p.m. local time on Saturday, according to Deutsche Welle. Search teams, assisted by private energy sector vessels and divers, expanded the search area to 1,040 square kilometers (401 square miles), as reported by the Jerusalem Post. Guyana's Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, said initial signs indicated the ship flipped over after being hit by a big wave, according to the South China Morning Post.

Authorities faced challenges in determining the exact number of missing people because the passenger manifest was not accurate. Edghill said the list was not "a true reflection of the occupants on board," and asked families to contact officials to create an official tally, as reported by Deutsche Welle.

In a development reported by the Jerusalem Post, 27 bodies had been recovered by Monday, with 83 people still missing. The vessel was located on the seabed in search operations carried out by private company VEHSI in collaboration with Exxon Mobil and local fishermen, according to Guyana's Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation, Deodat Indar, as quoted by the Jerusalem Post.

The captain and at least one other crew member were taken into police custody after testing positive for cannabis, as reported by both Deutsche Welle and the Jerusalem Post. Prime Minister Mark Phillips said investigators were looking into the incident, and noted that the vessel had undergone maintenance in 2024 and was due for an inspection later this year, according to Deutsche Welle.

As of the latest reports, search and rescue efforts were still in progress. Edghill told families, "We are doing everything that is humanly possible to find them," as quoted by Deutsche Welle. No survivors had been found since Sunday afternoon, according to the same report.