A major maritime disaster has unfolded off the northern coast of Guyana, where a passenger ferry carrying 116 people sank mid-voyage on Saturday, leaving dozens of passengers unaccounted for as emergency response teams scramble to launch search operations. The incident occurred when the MV Barima, a 40-meter (131-foot) vessel built back in 1939, capsized close to the Iron Punt region while traveling along its scheduled route from the country’s capital Georgetown to Port Kaituma.
As of the latest official update from local authorities, 53 passengers have been pulled from the water and rescued, but the current status of ongoing search and recovery efforts remains unspecified. Officials have not yet confirmed whether they anticipate finding more survivors among the remaining 63 people who were on board when the ship went down.
Vessel data from maritime tracking platform VesselFinder confirms the advanced age of the ill-fated ferry, which was constructed more than 80 years ago. According to public statements from Public Works Minister Juan Edghill, the vessel was equipped with what was intended to be sufficient safety gear: 250 life jackets, two rigid-hulled rescue lifeboats, and six additional inflatable life crafts.
The government of Guyana has mobilized its top leadership to oversee the response effort, with Prime Minister Mark Phillips taking direct charge of coordinating rescue operations, inter-agency communication, and next steps for the emergency response. Investigations into the root cause of the capsize are expected to be launched once the immediate search operation concludes.