In the wake of one of Guyana’s deadliest maritime disasters in modern history, the Central American nation of Belize has extended a hand of support to the South American country, offering material aid and standing in solidarity with affected communities following the capsizing of the MV Barima ferry.
Belize’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Francis Fonseca publicly confirmed the country’s outreach in an interview on the local current affairs program *Open Your Eyes* on Monday, noting that Belize has already made contact with Guyanese leadership to offer assistance. “We’ve reached out… and expressed our solidarity and asked them how we can provide any meaningful material support in any way,” Fonseca told the program. “President Ali is a good friend of Belize, so we’re praying for our brothers and sisters in Guyana.”
The deadly incident unfolded last Saturday, when the passenger ferry capsized mid-voyage while traveling between Georgetown, Guyana’s capital, and the far-flung community of Port Kaituma. Initial accounting of those on board proved inaccurate after 32 rescued survivors were found not to be listed on the vessel’s official passenger manifest, pushing the updated total of people on the ferry to 179—far higher than first reported.
As of Monday’s update from Guyanese authorities, recovery teams have recovered 27 bodies and pulled 69 survivors from the water, while 83 people remain unaccounted for as search operations continue. Guyana’s Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill has labeled the incident the country’s worst marine disaster in decades.
In a development that has raised serious questions about the incident, Guyanese law enforcement has taken the ferry’s captain and at least one additional crew member into custody. Both tested positive for marijuana, and authorities have launched a formal investigation into potential crew negligence, specifically looking into the circumstances that allowed the vessel to leave port drastically overcrowded.
Guyanese President Irfaan Ali has personally visited survivors and grieving family members receiving care at local hospitals, calling the encounter a “deeply emotional experience.”
Belize’s gesture of support is not the first regional humanitarian action the country has joined in recent weeks. Just a month prior, Belize stood alongside other member states of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to deliver emergency aid to Venezuela in the aftermath of twin destructive earthquakes that struck the country.