Lead

A ferry carrying 116 passengers has sunk off the coast of Guyana, local authorities have said. The MV Barima capsized near Iron Punt, on its route from Georgetown to Port Kaituma, triggering an urgent search-and-rescue operation involving state and private boats.

Eight people have been rescued so far, according to a statement from Public Works Minister Juan Edghill posted on social media. The state of the operation was initially unclear, and it was not known whether authorities expected to rescue the remaining passengers.

Coverage Comparison

A later report from France 24, citing Prime Minister Mark Phillips, provides a more detailed and somber account. Phillips said at least 27 people died in the incident, raising the death toll from a previous 10. Sixty-nine people aboard the MV Barima have been rescued since the vessel flipped over on Saturday night, he told reporters, adding that 83 more remained missing. "Our focus again is on finding people," he said. "We still have hope."

The initial report from BBC — World, published shortly after the distress call, reported eight people rescued. The France 24 report, published later, cites a different rescue figure of 69. The discrepancy in rescue numbers may reflect the evolving nature of the search operation, with more people rescued as time progressed.

Both reports note that the ferry was built in 1939 and is 40 meters (131 feet) long, according to a listing on VesselFinder. The ferry was fitted with 250 life jackets, two rigid life craft, and six inflatable life craft, as stated by Minister Edghill.

Key Claims

  • The MV Barima capsized near Iron Punt while traveling from Georgetown to Port Kaituma, according to BBC — World. A later report from France 24 describes the ferry as traveling from the capital Georgetown to Guyana's inland Essequibo region.
  • A distress call was received at 23:01 local time, as reported by BBC — World.
  • The number of passengers aboard has been a point of uncertainty. Prime Minister Mark Phillips said he was now "confident" that 179 people were aboard, following earlier confusion. Public Works Minister Juan Edghill earlier stated that the ship's passenger manifest listing 133 people on board was inaccurate, as reported by France 24.
  • The search area was expanded from 400 to 1,070 square kilometers (154 to 413 square miles), and local fishermen joined recovery efforts, according to France 24.
  • The French army sent 12 divers, two doctors, and a mechanic from nearby French Guiana to aid the search-and-rescue operation, as reported by France 24, citing the presidency.
  • Two crew members aboard the ferry tested positive for marijuana after the incident, Prime Minister Phillips told reporters Sunday, adding that an investigation was underway, as reported by France 24.
  • Prime Minister Mark Phillips is leading the government response, according to BBC — World.

Perspectives

Government of Guyana (Prime Minister Mark Phillips): Emphasizes ongoing rescue efforts and hope, while acknowledging the rising death toll and uncertainty about the number of passengers.

Public Works Minister Juan Edghill: Provided initial details on the distress call, rescue operations, and safety equipment, and noted inaccuracies in the passenger manifest.