Authorities in Guyana have recovered 27 bodies after the MV Barima capsized while ferrying passengers from Georgetown to Port Kaituma. The disaster has left 83 people still missing, making it the deadliest marine incident in the country in decades.
The vessel sent out a distress call on Saturday night before overturning off the northwest coast. By Monday, 69 survivors had been pulled from the water, but dozens remain unaccounted for. Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill described the tragedy as the worst of its kind in a generation.
Captain Arrested After Positive Drug Test
Police confirmed that the ferry's captain and at least one other crew member were arrested after drug tests returned positive results. Edghill emphasized the government's zero-tolerance policy, stating: "We have a zero tolerance for members of the crew drinking or smoking while at work. And for us to have positive tests from the captain, this is serious."
Prime Minister Mark Phillips has launched a formal investigation into possible negligence by the crew leading up to the capsizing.
Manifest Discrepancies Raise Alarm
Investigators discovered a significant gap between the official passenger count and the actual number of people aboard. The MV Barima was initially recorded as carrying 116 passengers and 17 crew members, but 32 of those rescued had no record on the ship's manifest. This pushes the potential total aboard to 179, complicating efforts to determine how many people may still be in danger.
Edghill said passengers had been raising concerns for years that staff at state-run ferry terminals were accepting cash for seats without entering names into official records. He called the practice "a criminal action."
President Visits Survivors
President Irfaan Ali visited the hospital to meet with survivors and their families. He described the experience as deeply emotional, saying: "It was a deeply emotional experience. I listened to their stories, shared in their pain and anxiety, and assured them that every practical measure would be taken to provide the support and assistance they need."
Search and rescue operations continue as authorities work to locate the 83 still missing.
Background: Oil Dispute with Venezuela
The disaster comes amid heightened tensions between Guyana and Venezuela over the oil-rich Essequibo region. The discovery of vast oil deposits has reignited a decades-old territorial dispute, with Guyana granting licenses to multinationals to exploit crude in waters claimed by both countries. The 160,000-square-kilometer territory has been administered by English-speaking Guyana since an 1899 arbitration award.
