In a high-profile development following one of Guyana’s deadliest maritime disasters in recent years, three crew members of the capsized ferry MV Barima — including its captain — have been formally charged with murder and remanded into federal custody.
The accused, identified as 40-year-old captain Kevin “KP” Price, 42-year-old chief mate Rondell Dwayne Roberts, and 33-year-old goods superintendent Delon Granderson, made their first court appearance on July 28, 2026 before Chief Magistrate Judy Latchman in Georgetown. During the hearing, the murder charges were formally read to the three men. Per standard legal procedure in Guyana for serious open hearings, the defendants were not required to enter pleas at this initial stage, and none of the three secured legal representation by the time of the appearance.
The case has been adjourned until August 3 to allow for further legal preparation and proceedings. Guyana Police Force officials confirmed that the murder charges were filed only after receiving formal legal guidance from the country’s Director of Public Prosecutions, a step that comes amid widespread public outcry over the high death toll of the incident.
The MV Barima capsized and sank on July 18 while en route from the capital of Georgetown to Port Kaituma, a remote river port in northwest Guyana. Complicating early recovery efforts and casualty counting, the vessel was not operating with an official passenger manifest, meaning authorities have had to rely on witness accounts and missing person reports to estimate the total number of people on board. Current official estimates place the total number of passengers and crew at 179. As of the latest update, Guyanese rescue authorities have confirmed that 76 people were pulled alive from the Atlantic waters, 73 bodies have been recovered and their deaths formally confirmed, and 30 passengers and crew remain unaccounted for, presumed dead.
In a startling revelation that has amplified public anger over the disaster, Guyanese authorities confirmed that two of the three accused crew members — including Captain Price — tested positive for marijuana following toxicology tests conducted after the sinking. The presence of controlled substances in the crew’s systems has raised serious questions about operational negligence and vessel safety protocols ahead of the fatal voyage.
In response to widespread calls for a transparent, independent investigation into the incident, Guyanese Prime Minister Irfaan Ali has established a five-person international investigative commission made up of leading legal and maritime safety experts. The commission will be chaired by Godfrey Philip Smith, a prominent maritime specialist from Belize, with a mandate to uncover the root causes of the disaster and recommend changes to Guyana’s maritime regulatory framework to prevent similar tragedies.
Currently, the wreckage of the MV Barima rests approximately 50 feet below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean off Guyana’s northwest coast. Maritime officials have stated that salvage operations are not economically or logistically feasible at this time, and it is highly unlikely that the vessel will be raised from the seabed.